The Beneficial Effects of Short-term Therapy of Antidepressants on the Electrocardiograph Records in Patients Presented with Depression

Abstract

Drugs that are used in the psychiatric clinics or inpatients may interfere with the electrical activity of the heart and in certain circumstances may induce fatal cardiac arrhythmias. This study aimed to demonstrate the effects of short-term antidepressants compounds on the ECG records using the prolongation of QTc and JTc intervals as an indication of the harmful effects of antidepressants. A total number of 18 newly diagnosed patients with depression and 26 healthy subjects are enrolled in this study. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, and waist circumference as well as the blood pressure measurements were determined. ECG records were obtained prior to the medication and after 4 weeks of antidepressant medications. The QTc and JTc intervals, the voltage criteria (R wave in Lead V5) and S wave in Lead V1) as well as the ejection fraction (%) were measured. Depressed patients have a significant prolonged JTc interval and low-voltage criterion of the ventricles. Antidepressant compounds significantly ameliorate the prolonged JTc and non-significantly improve the voltage criterion. There is no significant change in the ejection fraction after using antidepressants. We conclude that the abnormalities in ECG records are evident in depressed patients and the antidepressants compounds for short-term period provide beneficial rather than harmful effect. JTc interval measurement in depressed patients is more appropriate than QTc measurement in assessment of the effects of antidepressants

Keywords: Antidepressants, QTc interval, JTc interval

Cite the Article

Raz M. HamaSalih, Marwan SM Al-Nimer, Rebwar G. Hama. The beneficial effects of short-term therapy of antidepressants on the electrocardiograph records in patients presented with depression. Research & Reviews: Journal of Pharmacology. 2015; 5(1): 19–23p.