Paxil Birth Defects

In this section:

• Paxil Anti-depression Drug
• Paxil Birth Defects

Paxil is designed to correct imbalances inside the brain. The mind transfers thoughts and feelings through nerve cells or neurons in the central nervous system. These messengers are called neurotransmitters. An imbalance in neurotransmitters causes an anxiety disorder and Paxil treatments help to correct this imbalance.

Paxil belongs to a category of antidepressant drugs called SSRI (selective serotonia reuptake inhibitor).SSRIs help control depression by preventing the brain from reasborbing serotonin. Serotonin is a naturally produced chemical that controls mood, sleep, and appetite inside a person. Antidepressant drugs are used in treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), and panic disorder.

Paxil Side Effects

Suicide is a serious side effect of Paxil. Studies have reported akathisia as a side effect in Paxil users. Akathisia is a form of agitation that increases the risk of violence and suicide in patients. Often, doctors fail to recognized akathisia and over time, their patients become increasingly aggressive and suicidal.

An association between use of Paxil in the first trimester of a pregnancy and birth defects has been noted in recent studies. Specifically, the incidences of cardiovascular defects have doubled in babies of women taking Paroxetine. The majority of cardiovascular defects in infants exposed to Paxil are ventricular septal defects.

Before an infant is born, the left and right ventricules of the heart are not separated. As the fetus grows, a muscular wall (septum) forms to separate the heart's two ventricules. If the wall does not completely form, a hole (septal defect) remains. This is known as a ventricular septal defect. Small ventricular septal defects typically repair themselves. Surgery is recommended for larger ventricular septal defects to prevent future heart related diseases.

Drug Companies Information to Patients

A Food and Drug Administration study showed that women treated with Paxil had a higher risk of delivering a child with birth defects than woman taking other antidepressant drugs. The FDA required the manufacturer to place a stronger warning on Paxil related to pregnancy. A higher degree of caution is warranted when pregnant women are taking Paxil.

Researchers are not necessarily recommending patients not be treated with Paxil, instead, they have suggested that doctors weigh the risks and benefits before prescribing Paxil. It is imperative that drug companies that manufacture Paxil and other antidepressant drugs make every effort to inform the doctors and patients about the dangers of these drugs. Importantly, Paxil has been shown to be more dangerous than other antidepressant drugs, and as such, doctors should be particularly careful about prescribing this drug.

If you or a loved one has taken Paxil and suffered a significiant side effect, such as delivering an infant with birth defects, then you may be eligible for compensation. It is responsibility of GlaxoSmithKline and makers of other antidepressant drugs to protect those who take their drugs. Warnings should be issued to each doctor prescribing the drug. Please contact the lawyers of Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz at (877) 810-4808 to learn more about your legal right associated with birth defects and Paxil.