Getting Panic Attacks, Was On Anti-depressants.Using Pacemaker For Heartblocks. Should I Continue The Medicine?

Posted on Fri, 17 May 2013

Question: I was on anti-depressants for many years. I just had a pacemaker at 45 years old installed because of heart block. I went off the medication to see if that was causing it, but I still got it. I still have a feeling that the antidepressants may have caused the heart to stop. Is that possible? In any event, I get panic attacks and need to take something for them, but I am afraid because of what happened. But, I certainly cannot live with panic attacks every day. Is it safe to take them with a pacemaker? Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (32 minutes later)

Hi friend,
Welcome to Health Care Magic

Anti-depressants can cause disorders of rhythm
With a pacemaker, it is safe to take the anti-depressant medication

Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (40 hours later)

Will it make my condition worse? Are there any antidepressant medications that do not cause side effects of the heart? Is it possible that the antidepressants I was taking caused my heart block, or not, since it still happened even being off the medicine for 3 months?

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (31 minutes later)

They are not likely in your case - because withholding it has not corrected the situation...the effects of medicine are transient... if they were responsible, the block must have gone away on stopping the drug...it has not even after 3 months, in your case
Most of them have some effect / the effects are usually seen early on, when they are introduced / those you have used are probably the best - because they are time-tested...
They will not make your condition worse - as a matter of fact, with pacemaker in the background for support, many medicines can be confidently prescribed than otherwise...

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar