Posted by SLS on August 19, 2005, at 8:17:44
In reply to Re: Sibutramine » SLS, posted by darkhorse on August 19, 2005, at 3:41:20
Hi DH.
> Hello Scott (& anyone interested),
>
> Sibutramine is the only ever medication that resulted in getting a real medical condition.
>
> I developed powerful Tachycardia on it,and it developed into a serious ventricular arrythmia,and the cardio doc gave me heart medications for several months.Thankfuly this condition started to decrease.
>
> Later I tried it again and Tachycardia started.I'm 100% sure Sibutramine is the cause.
>
> I've taken 10's & 10's of Psyc. medications and non had those side effect.
>
> I'm not anti-sibutramine or putting it down but I do not think that cases against Sibutramine (especially serious heart cases) are fake.
>
> P.S. I have no history of heart disease or my family.
>
> Best Regards,
> Dark Horse.
>
Wow.That's pretty bad news. Mild to moderate tachycardia by itself is to be expected whenever one uses various antidepressants, especially the tricyclics. These drugs can produce arrhythmias, though, which is why it is prudent to have ECGs performed occasionally. Still, you don't seem to see too many cases of heart-block or arrhythmias being reported on PB. Nonetheless, this risk seems to be acceptable.
Yours is a disturbing story. Maybe these folks have a valid complaint about sibutramine.
Again, though, I think it is essential to place into perspective the rate of occurance of adverse events of a drug compared to those of other drugs in the phamocopeia, the rate of adverse event versus the seriousness of the condition being treated, the availability of other drugs for the same condition, the abiity to screen and monitor for the adverse event, the rate of occurance of similar adverse events inherent in the condition, etc... So many factors are involved in evaluating the desireability of placing a drug in usage.
"Public Citizen's Health Research Group Director Sidney Wolfe said the 50 heart-related deaths reported since the drug's approval still warrant its removal"
Sibutramine was approved in 1997 - 8 years ago. 50 heart-related deaths is a pretty small number when it is taken into consideration the rate of cardiac events in obesity in general.
"On Wednesday, Graham said the FDA and the company were "relying on statistics" to keep the drug on the market."
LOL I guess statistics have no place in the appraisal of evidence.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:533825
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050816/msgs/543811.html