Acute suicidality after commencing atomoxetine.

An 11 year old boy developed acute agitation and suicidal ideation after commencing atomoxetine shortly after it was approved for use in Australia. The clinical features were similar to reactions described in response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The case highlights the importance of close monitoring when starting newly registered medications. An increased risk of suicidal thinking was subsequently identified for this drug leading to a Food and Drug Administration alert and a boxed warning in September 2005, however there are still no other published case reports of acute suicidality.