Posts Tagged ‘ paxil-heart-defects-newborn ’

Antidepressants: Know What They’re Winding You Up With

April 16th, 2010. By Kristine B

C’mon. You know you’ve seen that Pristiq ad once or twice—the one with that little wind-up doll (yes, the one with the circa-1970’s get-up that would drive any of us into a state of mild depression)—and you’ve thought to yourself, “Gee, I’ve had days when I kind of felt that way”. Admit it folks, you’ve been there—maybe not in mauve polyester, but you’ve been there.

Now, you may or may not have taken that thought to the next level: the “I need help” level. Most of us don’t. But if you have, you’ve most likely “talked to your doctor” as only “he can determine whether [fill in anti-depressant drug name here] is right for you”.

And if you’ve left your doctor’s office with a little slip of paper to be dropped off at the pharmacy, you may have been prescribed an SSRI, SNRI, NDRI or MAOI. Perhaps you’re feeling high as a kite on the hopes that you’ll be giddier than a glee club as soon as you get that scrip filled. But, take pause. For while you fantasize about your future mental state, do you really know what you’ve just been given?

What follows is a mini primer to the world of anti-depressants—and, as this is a legal news site, the links provided will lead you to information on safety concerns and some of the resulting litigation that’s gone on.

There are actually many different types of antidepressants. Not just the brand names, but the actual types of drugs themselves that work on different chemicals in the brain. Generally, antidepressants aim to reverse depressive symptoms and stabilize mood by increasing the amounts of certain chemicals that are found in the brain. The type of antidepressant depends on the chemicals being affected. 

Depression 

Although there is no one answer to the question, “What causes depression?” scientists believe that chemicals in the brain play a role in some forms of depression. The brain has several hundred types of chemical messengers—also called neurotransmitters—that send messages between brain cells. Of these, three neurotransmitters specifically are targeted by the various antidepressants, to different degrees. 

Serotonin is thought to play a role in controlling anxiety, mood, sleep, sexuality and appetite. 

Norepinephrine is thought to play a role in sleep and alertness and is also thought to play Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Antidepressant, Celexa, Cymbalta, Effexor, Lexapro, MAOI, NDRI, paxil, paxil-heart-defects-newborn, Pristiq, Prozac, SNRI, SSRI, Wellbutrin, Zoloft
Posted in Drugs/Medical, Emerging Issues | 3 Comments »

Paxil Birth Defects Trial Underway in Nation’s Birthplace

September 14th, 2009. By AbiK

It’s somehow eerily fitting that the bellwhether trial case for GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) Paxil is taking place in Philadelphia—the nation’s birthplace. You can’t really think of such a trial going on in Philly without recalling a few excerpts from the Declaration of Independence—and not just the more famous lines about unalienable rights but also some lesser quoted phrases like “Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies”; substitute the word “mothers” for “colonies” and you’ve just advanced 233 years to be talking about Paxil.

At the heart of the trial that’s now underway is GSK’s allegedly knowing—and failing to warn patients—that its anti-depressant drug, Paxil, could cause birth defects.

All eyes are on this first case which centers on Lyam Kilker, now 3, who has suffered life-threatening heart defects since birth. According to bloomberg.com (9/11/09), Michelle David, Lyam’s mother, was quoted as saying that:

…she was prescribed Paxil during her first trimester to treat mild anxiety. Lyam was born with defects including two holes in his heart as a result of taking the drug, she said in court papers. The infant underwent multiple surgeries within six months of his birth, she said.

She said wouldn’t have taken Paxil if she knew of the risk and contends that Glaxo failed to warn her or her doctors.

“All of Ms. David’s physicians who prescribed Paxil just prior to and during her pregnancy with Lyam have testified that had they been warned that Paxil could increase the risk of cardiovascular heart defects, they would not have prescribed it to her,” according to court papers.

Needless to say, GSK’s position is that there’s no mea culpa; however, reports estimate at least 600 additional cases waiting in the pipeline for the outcome of this trial to say just whose culpa it is. For the sake of legacy of our forefathers, let’s hope prudence prevails.

Tags: Glaxo, GSK, paxil, paxil-heart-defects-newborn
Posted in Drugs/Medical | 2 Comments »