Antidepressant Celexa may cause a potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythm, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Wednesday to tell doctors to stop prescribing the drug in high doses.
Doses of Celexa (citalopram hydrobromide) over 40 milligrams can lead to an arrhythmia known as Torsade de Pointes, especially in patients with preexisting heart conditions or those with low levels of potassium and magnesium in the blood.
The FDA has revised Celexa's label to state the new dosage limit and the potential for abnormal heart activity. Previous labels noted that the antidepressant may be prescribed in doses up to 60 mg, even though doses of more than 40 mg have not been found to be effective.
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