Painkillers May Increase The Risk Of Homicide In Some Users

First Posted: Jun 03, 2015 12:06 PM EDT
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New findings published in the journal World Psychiatry show the potential dangers of taking certain painkillers and antidepressants. Could these drugs actually affect our nervous system, increase the risk that some users might be exceedingly violent?

Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland associated painkillers and tranquilizing benzodiazepines with an elevated risk of homicide.

"It has been repeatedly claimed that it was the anti-depressants used by the persons who committed these massacres that triggered their violent [behavior]. It is possible that the massive publicity around the subject has already affected drug prescription practices," said lead researcher professor Jari Tiihonen, in a news release. 

For the study, researchers looked at the prescription drug use of 959 individuals convicted of a homicide from 2003-2011 via information provided by the Finnish Homicide Database of the In-stitute of Criminology and Legal Policy, and the Finnish Prescription Register of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Kela.

Findings revealed no significant association between the use of antipsychotics and increased risk of committing a homicide. However, a slightly increased risk of committing homicide (at 31 percent increased risk) was associated with antidepressant use, according to Medical News Today.

Benzodiazepine use to treat anxiety and insomnia significantly increased the risk (45 percent) of committing homicide. However, opiate painkillers seemed to hold the highest risk at roughly a 92 percent increased risk and then anti-inflammatory painkillers at a 206 percent increased risk. (A 100 percent increase would mean the chances of homicide are doubled.)

Prof. Thihonen concluded that for some homicide cases, the person who committed the crime had been prescribed higher doses of benzodiazepines over longer periods of time.

"Benzodiazepines can weaken impulse control, and earlier research has found that painkillers affect emotional processing. Caution in prescribing benzodiazepines and strong painkillers to people with a history of substance abuse is advisable."

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