Can Trazodone cause heart pounding?
By
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira is a Pharmacist and Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has experience in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Milena’s Highlights:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration in the areas of Pharmacometrics and Population Pharmacokinetics, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
“Science can be translated, and it is essential that everyone has access to quality information to make informed decisions” – Dr Milena Oliveira, PhD.
Professional Experience:
With a decade-long career as a researcher, Dr Milena has amassed extensive experience in conducting research projects in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics.
Her expertise also extends to the preparation of technical and scientific reports, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific communication, both oral and written.
Dr Milena has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, providing expert supervision and guidance to teams during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the ICUs of two reference hospitals for patient hospitalization.
In her most recent role, Dr Milena worked on the implementation of the deliberatives of the São Paulo State Government Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination. These decisions were aimed at ensuring medication access within the Unified Health System.
A widely multidisciplinary background enabled Dr Milena to become a professional capable of integrating scientific knowledge into private initiatives, education, and healthcare, delivering consistent services in patient safety and population health.
Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
Dr Milena Oliveira is a member of the Regional Council of Pharmacy of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Education:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
Relevant Published Work & Citations:
Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, Nardotto GHB, Pippa LF, Simões BP, Lanchote VL. Analysis of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in plasma and urine with application in the evaluation of total, renal and metabolic formation clearances in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Nov 2020. 191:113-124.
Abstracts. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 2020 Nov; 9 (S1).
Pippa LF, Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, de Andrade JM, Lanchote VL. Total, renal and hepatic clearances of doxorubicin and formation clearance of doxorubicinol in patients with breast cancer: Estimation of doxorubicin hepatic extraction ratio. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2020 Jun 5; 185:113-231.
Godoy ALPC, De Jesus C, De Oliveira ML, Rocha A, Pereira MPM, Larangeira DF, Lanchote VL, Barrouin-Melo SM. Determination of Allopurinol and Oxypurinol in Dogs Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet Detector: Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies. J Chromatogr Sep Tech. 2017; 8 (4).
Clímaco EC, Oliveira ML de, Pitondo-Silva A, Oliveira MG, Medeiros M, Lincopan N, et al. Clonal complexes 104, 109 and 113 playing a major role in the dissemination of OXA-carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in Southeast Brazil. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2013 Oct;19:127–33.
Conference Papers:
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B.; PIPPA, L. F.; ROCHA, A.; SIMOES, B. P.; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Daunorubicin metabolism and urinary excretion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of the Clinical Pharmacology Germany (VKliPha), 2018, Göttingen. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch Pharmacol, 2018. v. 391. p. S76-S76.
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . The low contribution of urinary excretion in the elimination of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 49th Brazilian Congress of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics., 2017, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2017. p. 64-64.
Oliveira, M. L.; PIPPA, L. F. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Quantification of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. In: I International Meeting of Environmental Health and Toxicology (IMEHTOX), 2016, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2016.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. . PFGE typing of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different University Hospitals. In: V International Postgraduate and Research Symposium, 2012.
Clímaco, E.C. ; SILVA, A. P. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. Relação clonal entre linhagens de Acinetobacter baumannii produtoras de carbapenemases da família OXA em quatro hospitais no Brasil. In: XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012, Santos. XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Dissemintion of OXA carbapenemases genes in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in University Hospital of Juiz de Fora, MG. In: 8th CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, Ribeirão Preto.
Clímaco, E.C. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Avaliação do sequenciamento parcial do gene rpoB e de seus flanqueadores para identificação de espécies de Acinetobacter na rotina laroratorial. In: 2° International Symposium on Clinical Microbiology, 2010, Florianópolis.
You can view some of Dr Milena’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-milena-locci-de-oliveira-28986042/?locale=en_US
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milena-Oliveira-6
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/5394254/milena-locci-de-oliveira
Lattes: https://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/busca.do
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57199779361
Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=pt-BR&user=1YUBDIQAAAAJ
Can Trazodone cause heart pounding?
Trazodone may cause heart pounding in some people. Although cardiac side effects are not common on standard doses of Trazodone, it could still affect some people.
Trazodone is normally not considered an ideal antidepressant to be used in people who have active cardiac disease, this is because it is more cardiotoxic than other antidepressants.
If we talk about a healthy individual with this medication, he/she may not experience cardiac side effects. Heart pounding could also be an early side effect in someone who’s new to Trazodone or antidepressants in general.
In such cases, heart palpitations go away on their own, as the body adjusts to the medication. On the other hand, if you’re a cardiac patient taking Trazodone or someone who frequently has high blood pressure and it makes your heart pound, immediately report it to your healthcare provider.
What does research suggest?
There is limited research on the Effects of Trazodone on heart health. studies indicate that Trazodone does not cause cardiac side effects and its generally considered safe to be used in cardiac patients, as compared to tricyclic antidepressants (1).
The research also suggests that Trazodone does not exacerbate the symptoms of pre-existing cardiac diseases, like ventricular arrhythmia. However, it may cause palpitations during the early course of the treatment.
What to do if Trazodone causes heart pounding?
If you’re new to Trazodone and have no history of cardiac disease, Trazodone may make your heart pound a little during the early course of your treatment – but this side effect shouldn’t be a concerning one.
In most cases, early side effects of Trazodone begin to subside within a few weeks, as your body adjusts to the medication. However, if you have a history of cardiac diseases or high blood pressure, I recommend reaching out to your healthcare provider.
People who are taking Trazodone for insomnia usually take lower doses and they may experience relatively milder side effects as compared to those taking Trazodone for depression.
Trazodone can affect some people more than others. It can also cause QT prolongation in some cases. It’s always best to talk to your doctor about your side effects to make sure the drug is not damaging your body or affecting your organs.
Final words
Although Trazodone is not known for causing cardiac side effects, and it does not exacerbate pre-existing arrhythmias, some people may not do so well on this antidepressant. This is why you should properly monitor your side effects and keep your doctor informed.
References
- Himmelhoch JM, Schechtman K, Auchenbach R. The role of trazodone in the treatment of depressed cardiac patients. Psychopathology. 1984;17 Suppl 2:51-63. doi: 10.1159/000284093. PMID: 6201941. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6201941/
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