ANTIDEPRESSANT OVERDOSES AND RESULTANT EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT SERVICES - THE IMPACT OF SSRIS

Suicide is a major source of morbidity and mortality in patients with mental illness. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) an d other newer nontricyclic antidepressants appear to have less clinica lly significant toxicity in overdose, resulting in lower costs of trea tment when compared with tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) overdoses. The resource utilization and cost of treatment for SSRI overdoses may not be less if (1) these agents are commonly ingested with other potentia lly toxic substances, or (2) health care practices have not changed in response to the apparent greater safety of SSRIs. This study evaluate s demographic variables of antidepressant overdoses to determine wheth er differences exist in treatments and monitoring. Additionally, this study evaluates costs associated with care and the impact of co-ingest ants on those same factors.