Cerner Database Reveals COVID Death Rate Lower When Taking SSRIs

November 25, 2021

COVID Death Rate Lower When Taking SSRIs

Electronic health records (EHR) from the Cerner Real World COVID-19 de-identified database indicate that COVID-19 patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have reduced mortality rates, according to analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Oskotsky et al. examined EHR from nearly 500,000 patients in the US and found that COVID-19 patients on the SSRI fluoxetine (Prozac) were 28% less likely to die. Mortality rates were lowered to a lesser degree in patients taking any kind of SSRI.

According to Oskotsky, “The results are encouraging. It’s important to find as many options as possible for treating any condition. A particular drug or treatment may not work or be well tolerated by everyone. Data from electronic medical records allow us to quickly look into existing drugs that could be repurposed for treating COVID-19 or other conditions.”