Study Suggests SSRIs Not Associated with Increased Risk of Intracerebral Hemorrhage 

Review of medical records for 127,915 people who had a stroke between 2010 and 2019 showed that 17,009 (13.3%) had been prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) before they had the stroke. Of the 127,915 cases of stroke, 11% of those who had been prescribed an SSRI had an intracerebral hemorrhage, compared with 14% of those who had never been prescribed SSRIs. 

After adjusting for age, high blood pressure, and diabetes, study authors conclude people who took an SSRI were no more likely to have an intracerebral hemorrhage than people not taking an SSRI. 

“Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors work by preventing reabsorption of the chemical serotonin, which regulates mood, into the cells, making more of it available in the brain,” said Mithilesh Siddu, MD, University of Miami. “However, by interfering with serotonin, which also plays a role in blood clotting, SSRIs may increase the risk of bleeding. Therefore, to determine if these antidepressants increase the risk of bleeding strokes, we looked at a large population of people with stroke. These findings are important, especially since depression is common after stroke and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are some of the first drugs considered for people. More research is needed to confirm our findings and to also examine if SSRIs prescribed after a stroke may be linked to risk of a second stroke.”

This preliminary study will be presented virtually at the American Academy of Neurology’s 73rd Annual Meeting in April.