Antidepressants and VT

Hi, my mother suffered severe blockage of 3 of her main heart arteries, while in the hospital she was placed a transitory pace maker, which she no longer needed and was later removed. But depression was getting the best of her and Paxil 25mg became part of her daily medications. Prior to Paxil her heart mantained at "healthy" 95-110 bpm. A little after a week's time Paxil was start she was exposed to two more deaths in the ICU (where she had already withnessed 5 prior deaths; most of them due to heart attacks, the last one happening at 1am) Four hours later she sufferen form a ventricular tachycardia and went into cardiac arrest, doctors could not bring her back from. A couple of days after her passing I stumbled across some info on Paxil where it warned that medications coudl provoke VT as a side efftect. I keep trying to find answers to what really happen here. When I saw her teh night before all her signs were good, and then she was gone...Could somebody please help me make some sense of what happened to my mom? I have nightmares she was taken from us and not that it was her time to go. Your medical input woudl be greatly appreciated!!!

[Brooke_38]

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your mom. It is never easy when faced with the loss of a loved one. The questions that are raised surrounding the circumstances leading to their death, wondering if somewhere, somehow that there was a way this could have been prevented, may never be fully answered.

I have been a nurse for 15 years and haven't heard of Paxil being associated with life threatening arrhythmias, ultimately resulting in death. As a matter of fact, many cardiologists frequently prescribe this SSRI to patients who suffer from IST (Inappropriate Sinus Tach) with no negative outcomes. I am not saying that there has never been a problem, it is so rare, that I have not read or heard of such reports.

You did not mention in your post if your mom had a preexisting Ventricular arrhythmia, not to say that would have made a difference, but if it was not something that she had prior to the start of Paxil, it really would be difficult to say that it was the cause of her V-tach.

I hope that you are able to get the answers you're looking for so that you will have some sense of peace and comfort knowing that this did not contribute to her untimely passing. My prayers are with you.