Antidepressant prescription patterns and CNS polypharmacy with antidepressants among children, adolescents, and young adults: a population-based study in Sweden

This study examines trends in antidepressant drug dispensations among young people aged 0–24 years in Sweden during the period 2006–2013, as well as prescription patterns and central nervous system (CNS) polypharmacy with antidepressants. Using linkage of Swedish national registers, we identified all Swedish residents aged 0–24 years that collected at least one antidepressant prescription (here defined as antidepressant users) between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2013 (n = 174,237), and categorized them as children (0–11 years), adolescents (12–17 years), and young adults (18–24 years). Prevalence of antidepressant dispensation rose from 1.4 to 2.1% between 2006 and 2013, with the greatest relative increase in adolescents [by 97.8% in males (from 0.6 to 1.3%) and by 86.3% in females (from 1.1 to 2.1%)]. Most individuals across age categories were prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, received their prescriptions from psychiatric specialist care, and had treatment periods of over 12 months. Prevalence of CNS polypharmacy (dispensation of other CNS drug classes in addition to antidepressants) increased across age categories, with an overall increase in prevalence from 52.4% in 2006 to 62.1% in 2013. Children experienced the largest increase in polypharmacy of three or more psychotropic drug classes (4.4–10.1%). Anxiolytics, hypnotics, and sedatives comprised the most common additional CNS drug class among persons who were prescribed antidepressants. These findings show that the dispensation of antidepressants among the young is prevalent and growing in Sweden. The substantial degree of CNS polypharmacy in young patients receiving antidepressants requires careful monitoring and further research into potential benefits and harms. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00787-018-01269-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.