American College of Cardiology Meeting In Brief: Antidepressant therapy post-MI

Executive Summary

Antidepressant therapy post-MI: In 81 myocardial infarction survivors, the SSRI paroxetine (SmithKline Beecham's Paxil) and the tricyclic nortryptiline (Sandoz' Pamelor and generics) were equally effective in treating clinical depression, although nortryptiline was associated with more adverse events, Mitchell Finkel, MD, University of Pittsburgh, reported March 26. Two of 41 paroxetine patients discontinued therapy due to AEs, one of which was cardiac related, compared to eight of 40 nortryptiline patients, seven of which were cardiac related. Nortryptiline was associated with increases in heart rate and QTc intervals, while paroxetine was not associated with any significant changes in heart rate, blood pressure or pro-arrhythmic events...