Seroquel and mild heart attack

kelly0706

Mom was put on seroqul last October. Earlier this week she was in the hospital for a mild heart attack. Questioned the nurse practitioner at the hospital wondering if the seroquel could have been the cause. Shevtold me no and was very dismissive. I know about the black box warnings for this drug. My mom is 5 ft tall and 85 lbs. I feel that she should not have been given this drug to begin with. Now they want to put her on hospice and have taken her off the seroquel and her blood pressure meds. Any input?

Marta

The black box warning for Seroquel and other atypical antipsychotics speaks to increased risk of cerebrovascular events (stroke, TIA) and death, not heart attack.

Cynbar

My DH takes another anti-psychotic, Zyprexa. I wish he didn't have to take it, but the behaviors were worse than the risks, and it has helped him a lot. I'm thinking your mother must have had some agitation and/or aggression, which isn't good for her or her caregivers. Sometimes we all have to make choices about risks vs rewards.

Go ahead with the hospice referral, it can bring in a lot of support and concrete help to your mother, you and any other caregivers (you don't say if she lives at home.) However, it would mean she'd be giving up hospitalizations, tests, treatments designed to be curative rather than palliative. Give it a try if her doctors are recommending it and see how it goes. You can always take her off it if you decide to pursue more aggressive medical interventions.

dayn2nite2

One doesn't correlate with the other.  I would put her on hospice and comfort care only.  My mother also had a heart attack (was not on Seroquel) and instead of intervening (and she was already on hospice for a year), I kept her comfortable with their help and she passed 3 days afterward.

If she's close to death, it's a blessing, honestly.  Your mother is already quite frail and it would be a kindness to allow nature to take its course.

jfkoc

  Drugs have side effects. They just do but the possible side effect must be weighed against the possible good the drug does. Seroquel is a familiar drug used in treating dementia...even Lewy Body dementia.

Now regarding Hospice. Interview several because while they have universal mandated services they do differ. You are allowed to change one time a period and if any any point you want medical care that falls into the curative column you simply withdraw from Hospice. We were told that if that is done you simply reapply when ready.

When Hospice comes, and again one that you choose, they will come in a flury of activity. Tae the time to read all of the services and do use those that are meant for you.

Please keep us updated.