An FDA safety alert has called attention to another drug linked to serious adverse health problems. This one, an antidepressant that is also commonly used to treat hypertension, can cause abnormal changes in the electrical activity of the heart, which can lead to abnormal heart rhythm, and possibly be fatal, the FDA said. People with underlying heart conditions and low potassium and magnesium levels in their blood are particularly at risk for this, and the drug, Celexa, should no longer be used at doses greater than 40 mg per day, the FDA said.
While Celexa’s label indicates that “certain patients may require a dose of 60 mg per day,” studies have shown that there’s no benefit in the treatment of depression with doses higher than 40 mg, the FDA added.