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A researcher at the University of Alberta was analyzing data from a Saskatchewan health database when she started to connect the dots between antidepressants and type 2 diabetes.

Lauren Brown, researcher, University of Alberta, studied the medical history of 2,400 people diagnosed with depression. She divided the people who were using antidepressants into one of 4 groups: antidepressants considered older therapy, antidepressants considered newer therapy, users who used both old and new therapies, and people who switched between one of the previous 3 categories.

Brown found a link between patients who used–at the same time–tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) almost doubled their risk for diabetes.

As a result of her study, Brown suggest people using an antidepressant be screened regularly for type 2 diabetes. She also notes that organizations involved with depression need to educate their members on the link between antidepressants and type 2 diabetes.

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Dave March 5, 2009, 6:38 pm

    So, would my having Type II diabetes ( Agent Orange caused), and being a depression med taker, work together to help me get a higher % rating from the VA, so I could move up to Individual Un-employability, which would pay me maximum from the VA ??