Sotalol and Sertraline

[Karendeena]

I am under a lot of stress at the moment and feeling very low following PMR diagnosis and disruption to my GI due to the meds. I am tapering prednisolone and down to 2mg although some shoulder pain. I have paroxysmal afib. My doctor wants me on low dose sertraline but I have read this is a dangerous combination with sotalol. Is anyone here taking this combination of drugs? If so what side effects are you experiencing?

[Palpman]

Normally you would have a 12 lead ECG before taking Sotalol and repeated once or twice a year.This is because Sotalol is known to delay the QT interval. If it gets to about 520ms it can cause dangerous ventricular arrhythmias.

Sertraline is also known to increase QT so taking both at the same time would attenuate the problem.

I had to stop Sertraline as I was also on Flecainide and both increase QT.

[Karendeena in reply to Palpman]

Thanks Palpman I am under a professor who put me on sotalol so I hope he knows what he is doing. He is the one who wanted me off sertraline last time so I managed it but really struggling at the moment. I might wait until my appointment with him in December and see what he says then. I tried flecainide but it caused pro-arrythmia in me 😧

[Redders]

I take sertraline and apixaban and have just come off Amiodarone. I didn’t realise sertraline caused any problem's

[Palpman in reply to Redders]

Sertraline on it's own is fine as it only delays QT by a small amount. Amiodarone is the same as above.

Taking them together may be a problem and needs regular ECG'S to check QTc.

[Karendeena in reply to Redders]

The combination concerns me, how long did you take the meds together? Are you going to be taking another prescription drug now you are off Amiodarone?

[Redders in reply to Karendeena]

I was on Amiodarone for About 6 months but not taking anything other than apixaban and a few supplements now. I haven’t told my arrhythmia nurse that I’ve stopped taking Amiodarone,

[Karendeena in reply to Redders]

Why did you stop taking it?

[Redders]

I stopped because of all the side effects that they say you can have, although I didn’t have any.