Gastrointestinal and Antipsychotic
Meds Linked to Cardiac Death
WEDNESDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Certain gastrointestinal and anti-psychotic
drugs that interfere with the heart's electrical activity are associated
with a three-fold increased risk of sudden cardiac death, researchers
report.
Even though these drugs -- which include domeridone, Haldol, and Thorazine
-- may increase the risk of sudden cardiac death, the researchers urged
caution in response to the study's findings.
"These drugs are vital treatments for serious conditions in many
cases, so it is essential that patients should not stop taking them on
their own initiative. If they are concerned they should talk to their
doctor," study senior author Dr. Bruno Stricker, of the Erasmus Medical
Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, said in a prepared statement.
His team's study appears in the May 11 issue of the European Heart Journal.
The researchers examined 775 cases of sudden cardiac death, using more
than 6,000 other patients as matched controls. They concluded that the
gastrointestinal drugs cisapride (Propulsid) and domeridone and the anti-psychotic
drugs chlorpromazine (Thorazine), haloperidol (Haldol) and pimozide (Orap)
were responsible for about 320 sudden cardiac deaths in the Netherlands
each year.
By extrapolation, that means the drugs could be responsible for about
15,000 deaths in Europe and the United States each year, according to
the study.
These drugs prolong the QTc interval in the heart -- the duration of
electrical activity controlling contraction of heart muscle cells. Drugs
that prolong the QTc interval can cause life-threatening arrhythmias,
the researchers said.
One of the drugs, cisapride, has been unavailable to American consumers
since August 2000, after maker Janssen Pharmaceuticals pulled it from
drugstore shelves following reports linking use of the drug to dangerous
cardiac arrhythmias, some fatal.
The greatest risk was for people using higher daily doses of the drugs,
the Dutch scientists said. Risk also tended to be higher for women and
older people. - Robert Preidt
An Attorney For You is a free consumer service. We are
not a law firm. We help consumers find the best representation for their
legal needs. Our service allows the consumer to review responses by many
law firms. This process introduces competition amongst the law firms and
allows the consumer to find superior legal representation.
Fill out one simple form and get responses from Sudden
Cardiac Death attorneys
competing for your case. Email up to 10 law firms in one click; you review
the responses in order to choose the right attorney for you. | 
