Antidepressant-Linked Mortality Risk in IBS: What to Emphasize in Patient Discussion

A new large, retrospective cohort study of US adults found that long-term use of some commonly prescribed medications for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), including antidepressants and select antidiarrheal agents, was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. The findings raise a critical question: How can physicians talk about that risk with patients—clearly and honestly, yet without provoking unnecessary fear? In the video above, lead author Ali Rezaie, MD, medical director of the GI Motility Program at Cedars-Sinai, discusses a practical way to frame the numbers and balance them against the burden and prevalence of IBS in clinical practice.

Editors’ note: Rezaie reports relevant disclosures with Bausch Health, Ardelyx, and others.