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Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD Announces: Vets' Sudden Cardiac Deaths Are Not Suicides or Overdoses
PR Newswire ^ | May 19, 2009 | Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD

Posted on 05/21/2009 10:25:43 PM PDT by neverdem

EL CAJON, Calif., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD today announced the results of his research into the "series" of veterans' deaths acknowledged by the Surgeon General of the Army.

Upon reading the May 24, 2008, Charleston (WV) Gazette article "Vets taking Post Traumatic Stress Disorder drugs die in sleep," Baughman began to investigate why these reported deaths were "different." And, why they were likely, the "tip of an iceberg."

Andrew White, Eric Layne, Nicholas Endicott and Derek Johnson were four West Virginia veterans who died in their sleep in early 2008. Baughman's research suggests that they did not commit suicide and did not overdose as suggested by the military. All were diagnosed with PTSD. All seemed "normal" when they went to bed. And, all were on Klonopin (a benzodiazepine), Paxil (an SSRI antidepressant) and Seroquel (an antipsychotic).

On January 15, 2009, the New England Journal of Medicine (Ray et al), reported that antipsychotics double the risk of sudden cardiac death.

On February 7, 2008, Surgeon General Eric B. Schoomaker, said there has been "a series of deaths in Warrior Training Units" -- "often as a consequence of the use of multiple prescription and nonprescription medicines and alcohol ... we all saw the unfortunate death of Heath Ledger, the 'Brokeback Mountain' star, who died from an accidental overdose."

But Ledger was not on any heart-toxic medication. When found, his pulse and respirations were intact! When found, none of the veterans were breathing or had pulse. There's, most likely, were sudden cardiac deaths!

Sudden cardiac death is an unexpected death due to cardiac causes occurring in a short time period (generally within 1 h of symptom onset) in a person with known or unknown cardiac disease in whom no previously diagnosed fatal condition is apparent. (Medscape e-Medicine 7/17/06)

As of April 16, 2009, veteran's wife, Diane Vande Burgt, had Googled 19 "dead in bed," 36 "dead in barracks," or "... room," and 19 "under investigation." Removing reported "suicides" shortened our original list by 15 names leaving a total of 74 probable sudden cardiac deaths - most in soldiers or veterans in their 20's. An article from the AP, San Antonio, 4/17/09, reported "The deaths of two soldiers are being investigated ... both men apparently died in their sleep."

It was reported in June, 2008, that 89% of veterans with PTSD are given antidepressants and 34% antipsychotics (Mohamed & Rosenheck, June 2008). A third, then, are exposed to the additive potential of both to cause sudden cardiac death. (Sicouri & Antzelevitch, 2008)

On April 13, 2009, Baughman wrote the Office of the Surgeon General of the Army: "the Surgeon General said there has been 'a series, a sequence of deaths' Has the study of these deaths been published?

On April 17, 2009, the response came: "The assessment is still pending and has not been released yet."

There being no such thing as an essential psychiatric drug, I call upon the military for an immediate embargo of all antipsychotics and antidepressants until there has been a complete, wholly public, clarification of the extent and causes of this epidemic of probable sudden cardiac deaths.

For more information, please email Fred A. Baughman Jr., MD at fabjrmd@cox.net.

Issuers of news releases and not PR Newswire are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content. Terms and conditions, including restrictions on redistribution, apply.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: drugs; health; medicine; ptsd; ssris

1 posted on 05/21/2009 10:25:43 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem
The final indignity?

If there is a problem with the meds, it needs to be addressed, pronto.

These guys definitely do not deserve to come back and get taken out by meds.

2 posted on 05/21/2009 10:51:52 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: Smokin' Joe
These guys definitely do not deserve to come back and get taken out by meds.

I got the impression that active duty soldiers are also getting these meds. I'm wondering if Sergeant Russell in Iraq who killed five other soldiers went nuts on SSRIs. That's how I found this press release. Most in their 20s in good condition don't have sudden cardiac deaths.

3 posted on 05/21/2009 11:01:39 PM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: neverdem
I got the impression that active duty soldiers are also getting these meds.

whoa...

I'm wondering if Sergeant Russell in Iraq who killed five other soldiers went nuts on SSRIs.

If I recall correctly, either Harris or Kleibold (sp?) of Columbine infamy were on Klonopin, and possibly other drugs.

4 posted on 05/21/2009 11:14:24 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: El Gato; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Robert A. Cook, PE; lepton; LadyDoc; jb6; tiamat; PGalt; Dianna; ...
Soy Protein Used in "Natural" Foods Bathed in Toxic Solvent Hexane

Mexico City ends swine flu alert, no cases in week

How Down syndrome works against cancer

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

5 posted on 05/22/2009 12:52:40 AM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
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To: neverdem

That’s why . . . without my knowing it initially . . .

all the dofu/tofu in China/ Taiwan . . . wherever . . . tasted a bit like gasoline, to me.

Didn’t matter what form it was in.


6 posted on 05/22/2009 1:45:08 AM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: neverdem; jesseam

Jess, please read . . .

and comment on, as you see fit.


7 posted on 05/22/2009 1:45:55 AM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: Smokin' Joe
If I recall correctly, either Harris or Kleibold (sp?) of Columbine infamy were on Klonopin, and possibly other drugs.

The possible other drugs would cause the problems especially SSRI's. But Klonopin would act as a counter agent to adverse SSRI reactions if they took enough Klonopin. I wish doctors weren't so eager to dispense SSRI's especially without educating patients and family about possible adverse reactions which can be like giving them LSD and in some cases if not detected cause death. IMO Benzo's are safer IF the doctor and patient understand how to use them properly.

I've taken a Benzos daily since 1994 and none of the things the Benzo fear mongers say has happened. Benzo's in general got a bad reputation because of Hollywood types using them and boozing it up. Not a smart idea. The key to successful Benzo usage is small but consistent levels in the bloodstream at all times. IOW high dosages defeat the purpose.

I've seen a severe Serotonin reaction before and I am also among the category who can not take them due to sensory processing damage. I find it sad that high schoolers know how to induce a Serotonin migration using such things as OTC cold meds yet most ER doctors do not know about Serotonin Syndrome in persons who use SSRI's legitimately and have adverse reactions to them. All to often the attendings mistake an adverse SSRI reaction as acccute pyschosis and in doing so start a medication treatment protocol mking matters far more worse.

The person I know who had the Serotonin Syndrome had PTSD. The doctor kept upping the SSRI and then added another. The fact she was also taking Xanax likely saved her life.

The most important thing with PTSD is finding a good therapist to help the person work through it. That does far more good in the long run than anything else.

8 posted on 05/22/2009 2:12:05 AM PDT by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgement? Which one say ye?)
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To: cva66snipe
I suspect the problem is adding other meds to the SSRI. I am generally opposed to this but I see patients taking an SSRI with Ritalin and a Benzo or Wellbutrin and an antipsychotic and many other mixtures of three drugs and wonder. More recently I have been using some two drug combos in small doses (SSRI and Elavil or Wellbutrin) but I would not put a third drug into the mix. I do everything I can to keep my patients off Benzos and have to disagree about these. I have seen very few (actually none) who can "take small doses over a long period". They just aren't worth the down side. JMHO.

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9 posted on 05/22/2009 2:27:32 AM PDT by wastoute (translation of tag "Come and get them (bastards)" and the Scout Motto)
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To: wastoute
The Benzo added to the SSRI isn't a problem. Believe it or not it probably lessens the chance of problems. If someone is having a Serotonin migration, Serotonin Syndrome, or reaction to the SSRI then Benzo's are the protocol drug to use to couter act the migration.

I've been tried on Paxil, Impramine, Wellbutrin, and Buspar myself. They all made me much worse. One sign of problems I realize now was stomach upset after taking them especially Buspar. My head would hurt. But the doctors insisted I had to take it and must go off Xanax.

I've had PTSD, OCB, and General Anxiety Disorder all at the same time. I got rid of two of the three. The G.A.D. is due to a neurological dysfunction that not that much is known about except for me it's permenant. I had PTSD from some bad things that had happened over a 10 year period in my life. I developed Obsessive Compulsion as a compensation for losing my ability to concentrate. The GAD is Sensory Processing triggered involving my Inner Ear as well as Optic processing. All three came together at one point. That's one reason SSRI's can be dangerous to some persons with neurological issues. In such cases you want to dull sensory impulses not enhance them.

My wife whom the Serotonin Syndrome happened to {I eventually diagnosed it after about the 4th day of it not the doctors} has taken Xanax since 1985. The PTSD in her in part came from a dentist who had overdosed her on Mepraghan placing her in hypothermia. This was for a basic extraction. BTW she's an incomplete quad.

The trick with Benzo's is in a small frame patient use .25mg 4 times a day. On a larger patient use .5 mg 4 times a day. These patients should be very light drinkers with no previous addiction issues. Here's why. It is a low dosage but stays in the bloodstream 24/7. That stops rebounding and craving issues. Now what really screwed me up was when they had me on SSRI's and 2mg of Xanax 2 times a day. I was yo-yoing from it like crazy but in hind sight it likely kept me from going into Serotonin Syndrome too. I got a good doctor who knew how to treat what I have & went off all SSRI's and went on Xanax only. Life improved from that point. Actually most days now I take 2-3 doses. The Xanax also controls my Myclonic seizure activity. With this type of GAD you can toss the stuff written on Panic Attacks and Anxiety Disorders out the window because it won't work.

10 posted on 05/22/2009 3:02:32 AM PDT by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgement? Which one say ye?)
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To: wastoute
I take it you're a doctor. Many Anxiety patients are actually Vestibular or sensory processing patients doctors are not catching. There's actually quite a few of us in this forum. You can't give these patients SSRI's and expect good results from it. All the mental health experts and Big Pharmacutical Companies want to talk about are using SSRI's. In doing so a substancial portion of patients are being placed at risk because of it. PTSD is common with thses patients too.

Sensory Processing issues such as Vestibular patients can produce major anxiety attacks and the patient may not even understand it. It took me several years to get answers. It also is connected to the soi called ADD ADHD epidemic another great misdiagnoses of a neurological issue Ritalin will not help. with. C.A.P.D. or Central Auditory Processing Disorders. Where there's CAPD there is also a good chance of Vuisual processing iussues as well. C.A.P.D. behavioral or cognitive symptoms mimic ADD ADHD. Look at the kids shoes Doc :>} See if they are breaking down over the sides and the kid is a we bit lacking in coordination. Now you'll likely notice poor sentence structiuure and bad spelling in my post. That too goes with it. I've lived with the beast over 50 years now.

11 posted on 05/22/2009 3:15:19 AM PDT by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgement? Which one say ye?)
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To: cva66snipe

Clarification on post 10. My wife developed Serotonin Syndrome from taking Trazadone and Zoloft as prescribed. She was also thankfully on Xanax at the time or it would have likely killed her.


12 posted on 05/22/2009 3:18:56 AM PDT by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgement? Which one say ye?)
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To: cva66snipe
Well we never quit learning. Differentiating different kinds of anxiety is difficult and all done without the help of any real objective studies so very hard to interpret the literature but I have to fall back on "first do no harm" and for most benzos have greater potential to harm especially when dealing with anxiety. For Restless Leg Syndrome I am less concerned but when you see that "Xanax" or "Ativan" on the med list of a new patient you can just about bet on problems. I have never had a patient object to a suggestion that they change B/P or Cholesterol meds but you can't pry folks of their benzos. I hear you and grant that there are patients who are appropriate for their use but I haven't figured out a way to predict who yet. Thanks for your efforts to help me.

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13 posted on 05/22/2009 5:54:08 AM PDT by wastoute (translation of tag "Come and get them (bastards)" and the Scout Motto)
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To: wastoute
I can give you some signs to watch out for. One is in an anxiety patient ask about their Vestibular history including tubes, sinus allergies, Tinnitus, Menieres, exposure to loud working environments etc. Look for a bad startle reflex or reaction. Next is look at their shoes. Sounds silly but I can explain. Vestibular and sensory dysfunctional patients usually have balance issues. This means to compensate the brain has the body positioning to adjust. That many times means feet that hurt even deformed or arthritic to the point of corrective insoles for some. Look for a fear of heights. Why> The brain is amazing in it's self preservation capabilities. Many persons scared of heights never realize why but the subconscious brain does. They have poor balance and the brain knows it whether the patient does or not. The anxiety is a trigger by the brain to danger and as such is not phobic as many think. But it does effect the fight/flight impulses the brain demands responses to.

The next one is more tricky and takes a trained eye to catch it. Vision may be impaired. For example I am only one eye functional but have vision in both. Never at the same time though. I passed two Arrmed Forces physicals and they missed it. I knew about it but didn't say anything because as a kid about 12 years old I had Occupational therapy to learn to adapt. This also shows up in kids playing bases ball. Look for defensive responses when a ball is pitched to them and delayed responses. Like ducking away and swinging late at the ball.

When I was a kid I used to heart of persons having an Inner Ear infection. Most family practice doctors caught it. Now many miss it as the right questions aren't being asked and Inner Ear trouble and sensory processing issues are hard to prove.

I have what can be considered worse case scenario sensory processing issues. It triggers sensory induces seizures which hit my upper Torso like a cattle prod. It can likely be mistaken for Tourettes. Sight and sound are the triggers. Oddly enough the newer technologies seem to be the trigger in this as it likely is in C.A.P.D. You over tax a computer processor you will get a crash. Same thing with the brain. The crash can be simple panic attack or it can be what I refer to as a In The Fog event where you shut down for up to an hour and are in a mental fog. That is scary but harmless. The remarkable brain does many things including taking over for you during that time. At onset I found myself several times not knowing where I was even in places familiar to me, what I was doing there, how long I had been there and why. I can laugh about it now because I understand it and don't fear it. Through what I have learned I have managed to stop these events by adapting my environment to limiting offending triggers. That took some detective work on my part. Forget Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as well. This isn't phobic and CBT will not work with this any more than hitting you hand with a hammer to stop feeling or responding to pain.

I had an uphill battle with doctors especially Shrinks over this. A book I found called Phobia Free by Harold Levinson started me on the road to sorting out what actually happened and medical reasons as to why. The man made the Vestibular/Anxiety link in the mid 1970'S and was pretty much scoffed at by his peers for several decades until Vestibular research caught up. btw he is a Neurologist& Shrink according to his Bio. I found the book in a second hand store. I thought Oh Goodie another it's all in your head pick yourself help book. I started reading case histories and saw I had lot in common with his book. The next hurdle was convincing the doctors. I did manage to convince my therapist who was a seasoned anxiety specialist.

Right now I'm disabled as of 1994, severe Tinnitus, and partially deaf. I got my hearing aids last week. It all started out over 50 years ago with a kid with bad coordination who wore out shoes as fast as parents could buy them {well within a month or so anyway} and inappropiate responses to audio and visual events. If I saw a snake I stopped up my ears. If I heard thunder I would close my eyesand maybe stop up my ears too.

14 posted on 05/22/2009 12:23:43 PM PDT by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgement? Which one say ye?)
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To: cva66snipe
Thanks for your response. Another benefit of being a freeper.

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15 posted on 05/22/2009 12:54:08 PM PDT by wastoute (translation of tag "Come and get them (bastards)" and the Scout Motto)
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To: wastoute
Being a Freeper and being on threads about SSRI's a long time ago is what put it in my head about SSRI's that and prayer. Joe Montana AL.B and Rubbertramp changed my insights after my wife went into Serotonin Syndrome. Don't get me wrong SSRI's help many persons everyday and I certainly realize that. But not enough caution is being used to rule out possibilities of ones like me and my wife. My wife did not sleep for over 5 days and was hallucinating. The attending ER doctor didn't PDR her Meds. There is no mental illness I know of that makes a patient go unconscious and completely unresponsive. She did that in the ER. The attending refused treatment as he wanted to transfer her to a mental institute. I took her to another ER and she was still unconscious. They got her back conscious and when I told them what happened they too started the transfer song and dance. They called Mobile Crisis. The hospital was forced to admit her.

She went three days without SSRI's and late the third night came rational again. The next morning a Shrink who didn't know her from Adam came in and increased the Zoloft. Within one hour of taking the pill she was gone again and they still weren't picking up on it. I went to the hospital Chapel to pray then went home. I was tired but got on the computer and typed in Trazadone +Zoloft + Adverse reactions. My first hit was the answer. A paper Serotonin Syndrome written by that UNIVERSITY hospitals Pharmacology Professor.

I rushed back to the hospital and asked to see the Floor Supervisor. I showed her the paper and said I want her doctor {an in-house doctor not our regular one} notified right now as this condition is dangerous and life threatening. She said he'll be here tomorrow. I said OK but you will not give her any further medications but Ativan. No Zoloft and no other meds. The doc made rounds and was highly angry at me. I showed him the report. He said that's junk science rubbish. I said then read the name of who wrote it and his position. He backed off.

By later the next night she was rational again only this time partially Amnesic. The weird part was in her talking it was like her life was on replay. Every thing she said I could pin point to an event in her life but one. She kept saying she had to reveal herself. When she finally could talk I asked her what that meant and she laughed and said Oh No. I thought I was Tess on "Touched by an Angel" her favorite show.

Three attending ER doctors, Two in house doctors, and two shrinks prescribing it to her missed it. The sad part was she was taking the SSRI's for PTSD over the Dentist and some minor depression any quad would have. That Dentist later killed a girl in his office using IV's to put a kid under with he was not qualified to do. He was just a general dentist.

16 posted on 05/22/2009 1:22:41 PM PDT by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgement? Which one say ye?)
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To: cva66snipe
Serotonin Syndrome is one reason I hesitate to prescribe multiple drugs like that. You add Wellbutrin and an SSRI and an tricyclic you are making quite a "witches brew". Fortunately I have never had a patient with serotonin syndrome. I was a neurosurgey resdent in the '80s and we worried about "malignant hyperthermia" from general anesthesia at that time which later turned out to be sort of a "malignant acute" serotonin syndrome. One really needs to be careful with these things.

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17 posted on 05/22/2009 1:39:13 PM PDT by wastoute (translation of tag "Come and get them (bastards)" and the Scout Motto)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...
On January 15, 2009, the New England Journal of Medicine (Ray et al), reported that antipsychotics double the risk of sudden cardiac death.
Thanks neverdem.
18 posted on 05/22/2009 7:29:32 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________ Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: neverdem

bad medicine alert.

cigarettes can cause sudden death, and that is a lot more common than on the modern anti depressants.

the older tricyclic anti depressants have a small risk, however, but we use them all the time in our diabeetics for pain control because the risk is small and the benefit larger.

As for Heath Ledger, he died of a narcotic overdose. He had a long history of poly drug abuse.


19 posted on 05/23/2009 12:42:31 PM PDT by LadyDoc (liberals only love politically correct poor people)
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