Should a person diagnosed with schizophrenia, and who has a history of heart diease, be taking haloperidol?
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Q: What are the risks for a person who is taking haloperidol, and they have a history of heart diease?
Answers (1)
3/ 6/10 6:24pm
Hello chacha1955,
This skirts the line of giving medical advice so I will tell you only what I feel I can tell you. You can always ask the psychiatrist why he or she chose haldol (haloperidol) as the drug of choice for treating this patient who has schizophrenia. He may have done this because the atypicals can cause extreme heavy weight gain, which puts someone at risk for metabolic syndrome, which can then lead to heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other medical conditions.
So the psychiatrist might have thought that since the patient had a history of heart disease it would be well not to increase the risk unnecessarily by prescribing an atypical. Heloperidol is what was called a traditional neuroleptic.
I do not know this is the reason why haloperidol was prescribed though. You might want to ask the psychiatrist if this was possibly a reason.
As for whether haloperidol can cause heart disease or adverse cardiovascular problems, I would suggest you talk to the psychiatrist, or ask the pharmacist to print out from the computer a list of side effects for the medication, or find the side effects for haloperidol on the drugs web site.
The main concern is that someone with schizophrenia will need to take some form of antipsychotic drug to hopefully find good relief from their symptoms.
Regards,
Christina
3/ 9/10 6:55am
Hello chacha,
I understand you want to do the right thing for your loved one and you are afraid of the side effects of the medication.
Kindly note: I'm on a drug that can cause heart problems and that's a risk I'm willing to take. I'd rather be dead than psychotic.
Would I reconsider my drug if I already had two heart attacks? Maybe.
The choice is yours though. You have the right to interview another psychiatrist to get a second opinion as to another possible drug the patient could be prescribed. When I had to find a new doctor I interviewed three people so if you wanted to talk to one or two other doctors that is a possibility.
Please remember this web site is for information purposes only. The level of risk you are willing to take might be different from the level of risk I'm willing to take. Your personal tolerance for side effects might be less than mine is.
Regards,
Christina
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By chacha1955— Last Modified: 12/25/10, First Published: 03/02/10
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03/08/10
CCelaine25@aol.com
Hello Christian,
I have checked the side effects of The side effect also stated that if you have a history of heart diease, you should not be taking this medication.
So, I have a very close family member who has prescribed this medication, and unfortunately he has had two major attacks prior to taking this drug. Due to curcumstances beyond his control, he has been told that if he does not take the medication, he will be reprimanded for refusal to participate in a direct order.
The patient has asked me to look into the matter, as I was checking on the drug, this is how I discovered the possible side effects, and warnings to specific persons who are pregnant, have a history of heart diease, and kidney failure, eg. sholud not be taking haloperidol.
So, during my research, I stumbled upon your web site, so this why I am asking the question. I already know that a person with a history of heart diease should not be taking haloperidol. This why I asked the question, I asked? I need to know if this person is at risk for negative, medical complications from taking haloperidol because of a history of heart diease? The person taking the drug has been on haloperidol for 6 months.
I did notice a drastic chenge in the person's behavior, when I last saw them.
I would like a more concrete answer, rather than a circular one. Can you please ask a psychriatrist, for their personal opinion, and let me know.
Also, I want to know if this person was your child, mother or husband and you knew the dangers of the side effects of the medication (haliperidol), would you personally be okay with this?
Chacha1955