Antidepressants Ineffective in Relieving Severe Breathing Difficulties

Chronic respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease, affect approximately 454.6 million patients worldwide, causing severe breathing difficulties as the diseases progress.

Research has shown that antidepressants prescribed off-label to relieve severe dyspnea have no significant effect and may cause side effects. This is concerning, as severe shortness of breath significantly reduces quality of life for individuals with chronic respiratory conditions.

In many countries, including the UK, there are no approved treatments for relieving severe shortness of breath. As a result, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or benzodiazepines are often used off-label to alleviate breathing difficulties.

Mirtazapine, an antidepressant, has been reported to relieve shortness of breath. However, a large-scale clinical trial in patients with respiratory disease found that it had no significant effect on relieving breathing difficulties and caused several side effects.

This research highlights the need for effective treatments to alleviate severe breathing difficulties in individuals with chronic respiratory diseases.