Nutrition Health Chat: Tuesday, Dec. 8th, 5-6 PM Eastern. Learn how vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients affect your health. Free live Q&A. Join us!
Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
arrhythmia and zoloft
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
arrhythmia and zoloft
by Cathy-Dune, May 10, 1998 12:00AM
I was diagnosed 5 years ago as having dual aval nodal pathways. But as
far as I know, I've only gone into arrhythmia twice in my life --
the first time was by accident (I ran up a hill and came to a complete stop),
and the second time was precipitated by a shot of adrenalin -- it was
during the catheterization procedure to see what was up with my heart.
Last week I started taking zoloft -- an anti-depressant -- and felt as if
I was having heart "problems." My heart felt like it was pounding; I felt
sharp pains in my heart every hour or so; one night, I even felt
shooting pains in my left arm. Yet, my pulse rate was normal
-- between 48 and 60. (my pulse rate is normally low because I'm a runner.)
I've since gone off the zoloft (without my psychiatrist's approval --
but he doesn't believe zoloft shd do this) and feel better.
Have you heard of anti-depressants such as zoloft causing arrhythmias in
people w/ my condition? Should I avoid anti-depressants altogether (i.e.,
if zoloft does this, will prozac, too? What abt. St. John's wort?)
Thanks for your help.
Cathy
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Cathy:
First of all, sorry for the delayed response. I was just going through last month’s questions and noticed that no doctor had answered your question.
Palpitations (extra heart beats) are a recognized side effect of Zoloft, and drugs like it (Prozac, Paxil). I cannot say for sure that this is what you had, but the way to make the diagnosis would have been by wearing a portable EKG machine (a Holter monitor).
I would not recommend stopping your medicines without consulting your psychiatrist. Just because you may have had a side effect with one class of medications, that does not mean that other anti-depressants will be problematic for you.
Information provided here is of a general nature. Specific diagnoses and treatments can only be made by your doctor. If you would like to be seen at the Cleveland Clinic, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE for an appointment with a cardiac electrophysiologist at Desk F15.
