Antidepressant warning

Tighter prescribing restrictions could be placed on antidepressant Efexor, after new warnings to British doctors about its effect on the heart.

New advice, issued by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority, said it was generally safe for adults to take the newer class of antidepressants, called SSRIs. There was no clear evidence the drugs increased suicidal thoughts in people aged over 18.

However, one of the SSRI drugs venlafaxine - known as Efexor - should be prescribed only by specialists because of concerns about its effects on the heart and toxicity in overdose, a letter to GPs said.

It should not be given to patients with heart disease, and heart rhythm should be checked before prescribing. The letter also warned that all patients taking SSRIs should be monitored in the early stages of treatment, and when they changed dose.

About 206,000 adult New Zealanders take all types of antidepressants and about 4000 take Efexor.

Health Ministry spokesman Stewart Jessamine said Medsafe would seek more information from Britain about Efexor and review the literature about the drug.

The ministry's Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee would decide in the new year if tighter restrictions were needed.

- NZPA