Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Can Lexapro Cause QT Prolongation?
Question: How do you know if Lexapro is causing QT prolongation. Does it happen at any given point in time during treatment or it is safe to say that the medication isn't going to cause it since it hasn't yet and I've already been on it for 3 months.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would explain that this adverse effect of Lexapro is dose dependent, which means that it usually occurs in high doses ( above 40mg daily for young and healthy individuals or above 20mg daily for patients older than 60 years old).
What is the dose of Lexapro that you are taking?
QT prolongation is usually detected by a resting ECG. But you can also feel increased palpitations during the day, which can be registered by performing a Holter monitoring.
Anyway, usually when used in young patients like you, with a normal resting ECG and cardiac ultrasound in doses lower than 40mg daily, there is nothing to worry about!
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Feel free to ask me again whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would explain that this adverse effect of Lexapro is dose dependent, which means that it usually occurs in high doses ( above 40mg daily for young and healthy individuals or above 20mg daily for patients older than 60 years old).
What is the dose of Lexapro that you are taking?
QT prolongation is usually detected by a resting ECG. But you can also feel increased palpitations during the day, which can be registered by performing a Holter monitoring.
Anyway, usually when used in young patients like you, with a normal resting ECG and cardiac ultrasound in doses lower than 40mg daily, there is nothing to worry about!
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Feel free to ask me again whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I'm on 20mg for about 3.5 months now and my ekg's are still Normal but I'm wondering if it can still develop later on or not.
Brief Answer:
Everything is going to be OK!
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
This is a low dose of Lexapro and there is no chance that any changes in your ECG will occur.
As your ECG is normal, there is nothing to worry about!
So relax and don't worry about it! I recommend continue on this dose, because it is really safe!
Hope to have clarified your uncertainties!
Wishing all the best,
Dr. Iliri
Everything is going to be OK!
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
This is a low dose of Lexapro and there is no chance that any changes in your ECG will occur.
As your ECG is normal, there is nothing to worry about!
So relax and don't worry about it! I recommend continue on this dose, because it is really safe!
Hope to have clarified your uncertainties!
Wishing all the best,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I'm just worried what could be causing so much pain if it's not my medication. It's like a passion right in the center just below my sternum.. that's why I think it's related to my heart
Pain* just below my sternum
Pain* just below my sternum
Brief Answer:
Your symptoms are not related to any cardiac disorders.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
I understand your concern and would explain that your symptoms are not related to any cardiac disorders (including myocardial ischemia) or Lexapro.
So relax and don't worry about it!
Coming to this point I would recommend performing further tests to investigate for the possible underlying causes like inflammation, costochondritis, or gastroesophageal reflux.
Anxiety could also mimic this clinical scenario.
I would recommend trying an antiacid or omeprazole. If your symptoms are relieved by this drug, it would indicate possible gastroesophageal reflux. A fibrogastroscopy would be needed in such case.
A chest X ray study and inflammation tests (complete blood count, PCR, sedimentation rate) would help exclude inflammation or a lung disorder.
If all the above tests result normal, you should consider uncontrolled anxiety as a possible cause of all your troubles.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr. Iliri
Your symptoms are not related to any cardiac disorders.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
I understand your concern and would explain that your symptoms are not related to any cardiac disorders (including myocardial ischemia) or Lexapro.
So relax and don't worry about it!
Coming to this point I would recommend performing further tests to investigate for the possible underlying causes like inflammation, costochondritis, or gastroesophageal reflux.
Anxiety could also mimic this clinical scenario.
I would recommend trying an antiacid or omeprazole. If your symptoms are relieved by this drug, it would indicate possible gastroesophageal reflux. A fibrogastroscopy would be needed in such case.
A chest X ray study and inflammation tests (complete blood count, PCR, sedimentation rate) would help exclude inflammation or a lung disorder.
If all the above tests result normal, you should consider uncontrolled anxiety as a possible cause of all your troubles.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I have one more question, obviously I do suffer with panic disorder and the lexapro isn't helping much, but how do I know the difference of my heart and anxiety, because I keep having this overwhelming sense of impending doom and my heart continuously worry about my heart. My heart XXXXXXX is 99% of my anxiety even though I've had a echo, echo, stress test and a holter that were all normal I worry about scad or random things like that.
Brief Answer:
Your symptoms are not related to coronary artery disease
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
As a cardiologists, I would reasure you that your symptoms are not related to any cardiac disorder( including coronary artery disease).
Your performed cardiac tests can confirm this.
So relax and don't worry about it!
I recommend you to focus on your anxiety, because it seems to be the main cause of your troubles.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Regards,
Dr.Iliri
Your symptoms are not related to coronary artery disease
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
As a cardiologists, I would reasure you that your symptoms are not related to any cardiac disorder( including coronary artery disease).
Your performed cardiac tests can confirm this.
So relax and don't worry about it!
I recommend you to focus on your anxiety, because it seems to be the main cause of your troubles.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Regards,
Dr.Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
What about scad or random things like that how do I or can I avoid something like that... and isn't a sense of impending doom a symptom of a heart attack... I get I'm being paranoid and most of this is anxiety but these answers help me
Brief Answer:
I would recommend following a healthy lifestyle.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
As all your cardiac performed tests have resulted normal scad has been excluded.
So, there is nothing to worry about!
I would only recommend some lifestyle modifications in order to have a low cardio-vascular risk in the future:
- a healthy diet (Mediterranean diet is recommendable)
- avoid smoking contacts and alcohol
- perform a lot of physical activity (walking, aerobics, recreational sports, etc.)
- reduce your weight if you are overweight.
With a healthy lifestyle, everything is going to be OK!
Hope to have clarified some of your uncertainties!
Wishing all the best,
Dr. Iliri
I would recommend following a healthy lifestyle.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
As all your cardiac performed tests have resulted normal scad has been excluded.
So, there is nothing to worry about!
I would only recommend some lifestyle modifications in order to have a low cardio-vascular risk in the future:
- a healthy diet (Mediterranean diet is recommendable)
- avoid smoking contacts and alcohol
- perform a lot of physical activity (walking, aerobics, recreational sports, etc.)
- reduce your weight if you are overweight.
With a healthy lifestyle, everything is going to be OK!
Hope to have clarified some of your uncertainties!
Wishing all the best,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
