This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 38/11/3049    most recent STROKEAHA.107.491472v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kharofa, J. Articles by Woo, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kharofa, J. Articles by Woo, D. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Medline Plus Health Information Stroke Hazardous Substances DB WARFARIN Related Collections Aggregation Antiplatelets Other Stroke Treatment - Medical

(Stroke. 2007;38:3049.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Research Letters

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Risk of Hemorrhagic Stroke

Jordan Kharofa, BS; Padmini Sekar, MS; Mary Haverbusch, RN, BSN; Charles Moomaw, PhD; Matthew Flaherty, MD; Brett Kissela, MD; Joseph Broderick, MD Daniel Woo, MD, MS

From the Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Correspondence to Daniel Woo, MD, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0525. E-mail Daniel.woo{at}uc.edu

Abstract

Background and Purpose— Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are widely prescribed. Several reports have observed an increased bleeding risk associated with SSRI use, which is hypothesized to be secondary to their antiplatelet effect.

Methods— We tested the hypothesis that SSRIs increase the risk for or potentiate the risk of hemorrhagic stroke associated with antiplatelets and anticoagulants.

Results— In multivariate analysis, we found no increased risk associated with SSRI use for intracerebral hemorrhage (odds ratio=1.1, 95% CI: 0.7 to 1.8; P=0.63) or subarachnoid hemorrhage (odds ratio=0.6, 95% CI: 0.4 to 1.0; P=0.054). In addition, potentiation of risk with warfarin or antiplatelets was not observed.

Conclusions— Further studies with larger populations would be needed to exclude a small increase in intracranial hemorrhage risk with SSRI use.

Key Words: hemorrhage • SSRI • stroke

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Chen, J. J Guo, H. Li, L. Wulsin, and N. C Patel Risk of Cerebrovascular Events Associated with Antidepressant Use in Patients with Depression: A Population-Based, Nested Case-Control Study Ann. Pharmacother., February 1, 2008; 42(2): 177 - 184. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]