Families’ fears as common anti-depressant linked to two deaths and heart problems reported
DEVASTATED families have expressed their fears as a common anti-depressant their loved ones had taken has been linked to their deaths.
Liam Batten, 24, suffered cardiac arrest last July, after taking a common anti-depressant to relieve his anxiety and agoraphobia.
He died nine days after his GP changed his dose of the antidepressant setraline to a higher level that was still within the recommended range, Mail on Sunday reported.
And Sadie Stock, 28, who had just had her first child, was taking the medication to treat her post-natal depression.
Setraline belongs to the group of medication called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and is commonly used to treat anxiety and depression.
Surely it could not be very good for the heart
Liam Batten's dad Shane
Although Liam complained of back pain in the hours before his death, his mum said he was in high spirits before he went to sleep.
An inquest into his death concluded that he suffered sudden arrythmic death syndrome (SADS), even though he had high levels of the medication in his system.
His dad Shane told the inquest: “I’m just concerned with the medications. Especially for a big lad as well. Surely it could not be very good for the heart.”
Sadie’s husband James told the newspaper he thinks there’s more to the drug.
He added: “Was it the drug? There’s nothing I can do about it and I’ll never know.”
A post-mortem found that Liam had “elevated” levels of sertraline in his system, at 0.57mg a litre, which could prove fatal, the newspaper reported.
And at Sadie’s inquest, pathologist Dr Ashish Narula said he believed she suffered cardiac arrest brought caused by sertraline.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said 164 people have died since 1990, after taking sertraline, and 14 of those were linked to heart problems.
Seven of those who suffered heart problems died following SADS like Liam.
DEATHS CANNOT BE IGNORED
Health professionals and campaigners are now questioning if the drug is linked to heart problems with those who have a genetic history of heart issues.
Professor Mary Sheppard told the newspaper: “I agree the association with sertraline and SADS is there but there is no hard data.
“If it’s 12 deaths a week we might be able to say it with more certainty. Meanwhile, we mustn’t ignore cases like this.”
Charity Cardiac Risk In The Young (CRY) has warned young people with heart conditions to avoid sertraline.
HOW ANTI-DEPRESSANTS WORK
Antiedepressants are tablets used to treat clinical depression.
It is not exactly known how antidepressants work, but experts believe they increase the levels of neurotransmitters, which are chemicals in the brain.
The NHS explains neurotransmitters such as serotonin and noradrenaline, are linked to mood and emotion.
But those chemicals can also affect pain signals sent by nerves, which is why they can sometimes help long-term pain.
The medication can help treat the symptoms of medication, but they don’t address the cause.
Sun Online has contacted the MHRA for comment.
But a spokesperson told the Mail on Sunday: “Patients are advised to discuss with their doctor if they have ever been told they have a problem with their heart or if they have heart disease, a family history of heart rhythm problems, low potassium levels, low heart rate or are taking any other medicines which affect the heart.”
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