Friday, April 30, 2004

Depression Precedes Eating Disorder in Some Women
Reuters Health story at Yahoo - "Women with eating disorders who have attempted suicide may have had a depressive disorder long before their problems with food began, the results of a small study suggest. Researchers found that among 27 eating-disorder patients with a history of suicide attempts, two thirds had major depression before the onset of the eating disorder. That compares with just one of 27 patients who had never attempted suicide."  
  

High Doses of Older Antidepressants Seen Risky
Reuters Health story at Yahoo - "There appears to be an association between the risk of sudden cardiac death and use of relatively high doses of the tricyclic type of antidepressants (TCAs), investigators report. However, the risk is not increased with the newer type of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), or TCAs at doses less than 100 milligrams per day, according to results of a study published in the Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics..."  
  

Women Twice as Likely to Suffer Depression as Men According to Harvard Mental Health Letter
PR Newswire item reprinted at PsycPORT - "Worldwide, almost twice as many women as men are dealing with depression, according to the May issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter. One out of eight women will have an episode of major depression at some time in her life. Women are also more vulnerable to bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and dysthymia (low-level, long-term depression)..."