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Effexor and Suicide

The FDA has issued a special warning about the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children and teenagers taking antidepressants. However, it is difficult to know for sure if there is a link between taking Effexor and suicide or suicidal behavior. Therefore, you should let your healthcare provider know about any signs of suicidal behavior, regardless of whether or not you are taking Effexor. Among the possible signs of suicidal behavior are trouble sleeping, irritability that is new or worse, and suicide attempts.

 

An Overview of Effexor and Suicide

Effexor® (venlafaxine hydrochloride) is a prescription medicine used to treat depression. The medication is part of a group of drugs called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). As with all antidepressants, there may be an increased risk of suicidal behavior when taking Effexor.
 

Effexor and Suicide: FDA Warning

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a special warning about the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior with antidepressant use in children and teenagers. The warning was issued due to concerns that antidepressants seemed to increase the risk of suicidal behavior in children and teenagers in clinical studies. Although Effexor is not approved for use in children or teenagers, it may be used "off-label" for this age group.
 

Does Effexor Cause Suicides?

In clinical studies, it did appear that there was a slightly increased risk of suicidal behavior in children and teenagers who took antidepressants, including Effexor.
 In one study, about 4 percent of children and teens taking an antidepressant had suicidal thoughts or behavior, compared to 2 percent of children and teens who were not taking an antidepressant. This study looked at all suicidal behavior, including suicides, attempted suicides, and thoughts about committing suicide. It is important to note that no one in the study actually committed suicide.
 
It is difficult to know for sure if antidepressants cause suicidal behavior. To make matters more confusing, depression itself can cause suicidal behavior. The bottom line is that you should report any signs of suicidal behavior to your healthcare professional, regardless of whether or not you are taking an antidepressant.
 
Certain people seem to be at higher risk of suicidal behavior while taking antidepressants. This includes people with bipolar disorder (or a family history of bipolar disorder) and people who have attempted suicide (or have a family history of suicide attempts).
 
(Effexor and Suicide Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;