Study Links Antidepressants and Sudden Cardiac Death

Antidepressants are a class of drugs commonly prescribed to help manage depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia and chronic pain. They also can be used for off label purposes such as boosting appetite, improving cognitive function and increasing concentration.

Roughly 11 percent of Americans over age 12 use prescription antidepressants — and that percentage is rising, according to The Pharmaceutical Journal. While most medications pose some sort of risk, researchers recently found a connection between antidepressants and sudden cardiac death (SCD), a leading cause of natural death in the U.S., according to a study presented at EHRA 2025, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology.  

SCD is caused by a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). This occurs when the heart’s electrical signals aren’t working properly, causing an irregular heartbeat (or arrhythmia) that stops the heart. If immediate intervention, for example, defibrillation doesn’t take place, the person will die.

SCA differs from a heart attack, as the former is caused by irregular heart rhythm, and the latter is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart. The average age of SCA is 60, but it can occur at any age, even in young people without any signs of heart disease. In fact, as many as 50 percent of people who suffered from a sudden cardiac arrest had no prior symptoms.

In adults younger than 39, SCA is caused by a thickening of the heart or an electrical problem within the heart. For older adults, it usually stems from coronary artery disease -- narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart. Additionally, anxiety and mental stress (two common reasons antidepressants are prescribed) may raise the risk of sudden cardiac death, according to a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.  

In this study, Danish researchers reviewed death certificates and autopsy reports issued in 2010 for Danish residents between 18 and 90 years old. Deaths were placed into an age group, categorized as SCD or non-SCD and grouped by length of antidepressant use — one to five years or six years or longer. Other than the 18 to 29 age group, which didn’t have statistically significant results, most age groups who used antidepressants for one to five years had a 56 percent higher risk of SCD and if the use was six years or longer, the risk doubled. And SCDs were significantly higher among those aged 40 to 79 years who were taking antidepressants for six years or longer.

Are antidepressants contributing to heart disease? It’s possible, but at this point, researchers aren’t sure, and more research is needed. However, the problem could stem from underlying heart disease. Depression usually worsens lifestyle habits and unhealthy habits increase the risk for depression, according to a study published in the Spanish Journal of Psychiatry and Mental Health. This means there’s a very good chance that an unhealthy lifestyle is the primary culprit. Here’s more on the depression and cardiovascular disease connection »

Talk to your primary care physician if you’re experiencing anxiety and depression. They can suggest lifestyle changes, prescribe medication or refer you to a specialist. Looking for a primary care physician? Physicians in MDVIP-affiliated practices can customize a wellness plan for you. Find an MDVIP affiliate near you and begin your partnership in health »