Antidepressants Appear to Speed Aging of Major Blood Vessels

The earliest stages of blood vessel disease (atherosclerosis) is sometimes detected through observation of some changes in the arterial wall. One of them is the decrease in elasticity, which is related to a high risk of development of atherosclerosis. Another change is the intima-media thickening, which is a primary stage of atherosclerosis and may be used to monitor asymptomatic individuals.

Antidepressants may boost mood at the expense of accelerated atherosclerosis for middle-age men, according to an observational study of more than 500 twins who had served in the Vietnam War.

Antidepressant use appeared to "age" carotid arteries by the equivalent of four years of atherosclerotic plaque accumulation compared with nonuse.

These data and conclusions should be considered to be preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. The study was published as an abstract and presented at a conference. Still it gives pause to the widespread use of anti-depressants, considering the link between depression and heart disease.

Don't forget to exercise! Aside from all the heart protective benefits in the image above..it lifts the spirits!

Shah AJ, et al "Association of antidepressant medications with carotid intima media thickness in middle aged veteran twins" ACC 2011.