According to researchers from Rockefeller University, anti-inflammatory medications such as acetyl salicyclic acid, ibuprofen and naproxen, inhibit the therapeutic effects of antidepressant drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Published in the April Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, scientists reported that their initial investigations were conducted on mice, and later in humans. They discovered that only 40 percent of patients who were on anti-inflammatories responded to their antidepressants. On the other hand, 54 percent of patients who were not taking anti-inflammatories responded to their SSRI medication.
Researchers advise that these results must be carefully considered by physicians when prescribing both anti-inflammatory and antidepressant medications. While the mechanism behind the relationship has not yet been clearly established, the advantages and disadvantages of concurrent prescriptions have to be weighed in the clinical setting.
To read the article online, go to www.medicalnewstoday.com.