Could your medication give you a heart attack?

Research indicates that certain prescription drugs may increase people’s risk of dying from a sudden heart attack. A 2005 Dutch study revealed that certain gastric, anti-psychotic and antibiotic drugs interfere with the heart's electrical activity and cause an estimated 15,000 sudden cardiac deaths a year in Europe and the United States.

The research, reported in the European Heart Journal, examined the effects of gastrointestinal drugs cisapride and domperidone; anti-psychotics chlorpromazine, haloperidol and pimozide; and antibiotics erythromycin and clarithomycin. In addition, a September 2006 report by the Department of Health & Human Services' (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) showed that certain osteoarthritis drugs may have similarly life-threatening risks.

You shouldn’t have to worry that the medication you need on a daily basis or to treat an infection could kill you. If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack due to one of these drugs, please contact a Brown & Crouppen attorney today by calling 1-866-991-4700 for a free legal consultation.

How do these medicines cause a heart attack? All prolong the heart's QTc interval -- a measurement of the electrical activity linked to the contraction of heart muscle cells. Drugs that increase the QTc interval can cause life-threatening disruptions of heart rhythms.

Vioxx and Bextra, both used to treat osteoarthritis, were voluntarily withdrawn from the market because of the risks for heart attacks. Evidence on a third medication within the same class, Celebrex, suggests that it reduces the risk of bleeding and other ulcer complications in patients using the drug for less than six months, but it is not clear if it is safer than other drugs when used for longer periods of time.

Do not discontinue any medication without first consulting your doctor, but if you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack after taking medication, you may be entitled to file a legal claim. Brown & Crouppen has represented many victims of defective drugs, and as our client, you will be backed by a team of legal professionals, medical experts and investigators who are committed to ensuring that your rights are protected.

Brown & Crouppen can help you make informed decisions about your legal rights. Call us Toll Free at 1-866-991-4700 for your free legal consultation or save time with our online Contact Form.