Posted by linkadge on December 16, 2005, at 19:08:13
In reply to Re: Dr. Tracy on SSRIs.. » linkadge, posted by Larry Hoover on December 16, 2005, at 11:16:06
>Absolutely not. (Except in parts of Scandinavia. >They document everything.) But the question was >asked. And some medical examiners have looked. >They recorded the data, and gave summary >statistics. The pattern in those statistics is >inconsistent with an SSRI-triggering theory.
In your words, n is an important factor. If this idea has not been tested widescale, then its not much good to us yet. Of course it is testable, but when larger studies come in I may be more convinved.
>Overdose of SSRIs seldom leads to death. So >seldom, that it is reported in case report form >in medical journals. But the very presence or >absence of SSRI drugs in known suicide may >reveal important relationship-type data.
But if levels of antidepressants are not a routeen check, then an association has not been proven conclusvely. Small studies showing a lack of association don't mean a whole lot.
>And, what we find is an under-representation of >proven SSRI exposure in known suicides. Alcohol >exposure runs at about 40%, give or take, in >known suicides. Just as a contextual element, I >raise alcohol exposure.
I am not arguing that isn't a testabe hypothesis. I am aruging that it hasn't been tested sufficantly.
>OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that selective >serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) >antidepressants may have a suicide...This type of study is great, although this type of research is preliminary. The study came at a convenient time. I would need to see more studies of this type to conlcude anything. It also doesn't adress the fact that the drugs may indeed induce suicidality without resulting in suicide. People under medical care, also may be less likely to actually complete the act. It is fully possable that the drugs create the desire to die without triggering the act.
>Psychotropics and suicide prevention. >Implications from toxicological screening of >5281 suicides in Sweden 1992-1994.
There is another problem with these studies. They are testing levels of antidepressants within the blood of suicide victoms. This type of study is not geared to reveal any great association because you have a large group of untreated people pooled in which may downplay an association. There needs to be a double blind trial comparing suicidal tendancies induced by placebo vs. active SSRI.
>Increasing homicide rates and linoleic acid >consumption among five Western countries, 1961->2000.Thats great. This points to the idea that dietary deficiancy or functional deficiancy of n-3 polyunsaturated fats may lead to increased suicide. I don't know, does Tracy recommend elminating omega 3 in favor of O-6 ?
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:587690
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051211/msgs/589653.html