New Study Finds Link Between Anti Seizure Drugs and Increased Suicide Risk

According to a study published the week of April 11, 2010, in the Journal of the American Medical Association certain anticonvulsant drugs which are commonly used to treat epilepsy as well as depression, bi-polar disorder, chronic pain, migraine and several other conditions are linked to increased rates of suicide and violent death than other drugs that fall into the same category.

Which Drugs Have Come Under Scrutiny?

Drugs that have come under scrutiny according to the study include certain drugs that fall under the category of anticonvulsants. The drugs include gabapentin (Neuronton), lamotrigine (Lamictol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), tiagabine (Gabitril), valproate (Depakote).

What Does This Mean for People Taking these Drugs?

Medical professionals strongly urge those taking these particular drugs to speak with their physician before making any decision about switching medication. Those taking the drugs are strongly urged not to stop taking them on their own. The risk of suicide is still considered to be very low regardless of whether taking the drugs or not. Researches also note the limitations of the study which will be discussed further in this article.

Details about the Study

The study looked at 297,620 new prescriptions for anticonvulsant drugs. The study found that among those who received certain anticonvulsant drugs there were 801 suicide attempts, 26 suicides and 41 violent deaths. CNN has an article that details the further breakdowns of the study, but it appears that certain drugs were compared against other drugs with some having higher incidences than others. The study was not able to directly pinpoint that any of the drugs actually caused the suicidal thoughts and further studies are apparently necessary to elaborate on the findings.

Limitations of the Study

The researchers, who conducted the study, have noted the many limitations of the study. One of the limitations that was noted was that the drug topiramate which is used to treat migraines was already known to worsen certain psychiatric conditions therefore physicians were already careful to not prescribe that particular drug to individuals with certain psychiatric conditions. Researches also noted that certain medical conditions such as epilepsy and depression often overlap which further complicates the findings in studies such as this.

Earlier Studies

This study supports an earlier study that was conducted in 2008 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA analysis also found an increased risk in persons taking one of eleven anticonvulsant drugs. The risk of suicide in those taking the certain drugs was 1 in 230 versus 1 in 450 for those taking a placebo.

Conclusion

While the findings are troubling, more studies need to be done before it can be ascertained whether any of the particular drugs do in fact cause the increase in suicidal thoughts. Link and cause are two words with very different meanings. Those taking these drugs or parents who have children taking the drugs need to be aware of the possibility of increased risk (which following the 2008 FDA study has been listed on the prescription label) and need to notify their physician if they notice any symptoms.

Sources:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/13/depression.drugs.suicide.risk/index.htmlhttp://jama.ama-assn.org/current.dtl