A new real-world evidence study published in Atherosclerosis suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may significantly lower the risk of major cardiovascular events in patients diagnosed with both coronary artery disease (CAD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The research was based on data from the TriNetX database.
The study included data from 2016 to 2025 and involved adult patients with both CAD and GAD. After applying 1:1 propensity score matching to balance demographic and clinical characteristics, 54,526 SSRI users were compared to 54,526 non-users.
SSRI use was associated with a 23% lower risk of experiencing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite outcome of myocardial infarction, stroke, and all-cause mortality, within one year. The hazard ratio was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.74–0.81; p < 0.001). SSRIs also demonstrated benefit across secondary outcomes, including reduced incidence of each MACE component and lower all-cause hospitalization rates.
Cardiovascular protective effects of SSRIs were consistent among patients with diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, and nicotine dependence.