Antidepressants and arrhythmias
A research team at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital has verified that several antidepressants may increase the risk of a potentially dangerous heart rhythm disturbance (arrhythmia). By examining the electrocardiograms (ECGs) of more than 38,000 people taking 11 different antidepressants, they confirmed that higher doses of citalopram (Celexa), amitriptyline (Elavil), and escitalopram (Lexapro) were associated with a slight disruption of the electrical function of the heart. This delay as seen on an ECG is known as a prolonged Q-T interval, and it is a risk factor for an arrhythmia that causes sudden death.
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