Posted by saturn on July 6, 2006, at 13:41:41
In reply to Re: link to article regarding effects of MPH on heart, posted by linkadge on July 5, 2006, at 17:33:43
> I was thinking through the possable mechanism for this effect. Would it be do to inhibition of noradrenaline uptake ? Could some of the same changes be observed in people on noradrenergic antidepressants ?
I don't know, but I found the following on freerepublic.com:
While many of Ritalin,s cardiac side effects might be due to its action on the sympathetic nervous system, it may bind to and alter cellular architecture, leading to symptoms and signs that are secondary to actual structural damage.
Ritalin is known to cause cardiac arrhythmia, tachycardia and hypertension. Ritalin and other amphetamines can interfere with the body phospholipid (complex fat) chemistry causing the accumulation of abnormal membranes visible with an electron microscope. Such abnormalities were seen in an adult treated with Ritalin for 4 years. A heart muscle biopsy was obtained during coronary bypass surgery. Fischer (1972) concluded: "Although the patient was exposed to a variety of different drugs, we feel the methylphenindate (Ritalin) should be considered as the incriminating factor since this agent is amphetamine-related."
Henderson & Fischer (1994) next exposed experimental mice and rats to MP (Ritalin), and found identical membrane proliferation to that in the patient described by Fischer (1972). Moreover, they found that "The MP (Ritalin) doses used in the experimental rodents fell within the range of therapeutic dosage prescribed for patients with attention deficit disorders (ADD/ADHD)."
>>I just don't know.
poster:saturn
thread:662606
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060701/msgs/664517.html