Use of antidepressants to treat pain in older people must be reviewed, study says

Six out of 10 aged care residents in Australia are prescribed the drugs, despite weak evidence and side-effects such as dizziness and falls

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People over 65 are being prescribed antidepressants to treat pain despite weak evidence that the drugs work, potentially exposing them to harm, according to a new study that calls for a review of prescribing guidelines.

Researchers led by Dr Sujita Narayan from the University of Sydney’s Institute for Musculoskeletal Health reviewed the findings from 15 trials involving 1,369 participants to assess how antidepressants impact pain relief and adverse events in older adults.

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