Posted by kate9999 on March 4, 2001, at 4:06:15
In reply to Re: Media Qs about Wellburin aka Zyban, CamW?? and... » kate9999, posted by Cam W. on March 1, 2001, at 0:37:52
Thanks, Cam. This was very helpful.
> Kate - Wellbutrin is structurally similar to the stimulant diet aid Tenuate. It's product monograph lists tachycardia (increased heart rate) and palpitations as side effects. The SSRIs have a similar incidence (2%-3%). The SSRIs are considered safer for the elderly as well.
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> The SOB your mother experienced was probably anxiety-related, as the doc said, as this is a more common side effect than either palpitations or tachycardia.
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> The monograph also states that the elderly may be more sensitive to the cardiovascular side effects. Whether this is clinically significant in a healthy elderly person is debatable.
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> Still, Wellbutrin is much safer in the elderly than the MAOIs, TCAs and probably Effexor for the heart. It is comparable to the SSRIs in terms of safety profile for the elderly.
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> The product monograph for Wellbutrin can be found in the CPS (in Canada) or the PDR (in the U.S.).
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> Hope this helps - Cam
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> > I'm kind of surprised by what you're saying - I did research on Wellbutrin because my mother who is in her late 60s is on it and at one point had shortness of breath (which the doctor ascribed to anxiety not a cardiovascular side effect).
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> > The literature I read (a review of the safety of ad's for older patients) said that Wellbutrin had no known effect on blood pressure or heart function. At the time that put my mind at ease.
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> > Is this not true? Is there a known or even speculated cardiovascular risk from taking Wellbutrin? More so than with other AD's?
> >
poster:kate9999
thread:55118
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010302/msgs/55506.html