Reactions 385 - 25 Jan 1992

SLofepramine

Sudden cardiac death: case reportAntidepressants in general, and lofepramine in particular,

have been associated with cardiac arrhythmias and suddenunexplained deaths, although not in healthy individuals. Arecent report in the British Journal of Psychiatry, however, hasdescribed a fit and healthy 39-year-old male who was receivingtreatment with lofepramine and temazepam for depression,who died suddenly while jogging.

The patient had experienced troublesome anticholinergicadverse effects and an episode of palpitations in the fourthweek of treatment following an increase in the dosage oflofepramine from 140 to 210 mg/day. There was no evidenceof atherosclerosis on post-mortem examination and a fatalarrhythmia was assumed.

’It is possible that antidepressants with anticholinergic sideeffects may have an indirect role in the evolution of suddencardiac death (SCD) by depressing baroreflex sensitivity(BRS).’LOCK T, et al. Sudden cardiac death and antidepressants. British Journal ofPsychiatry 159: 736-737, Nov 1991 - England 800103753

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Reactions 25 Jan 1992 No. 3850114-9954/10/0385-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved