Propulsid is safe if used PROPERLY.

It can interact with certain drugs...so the patient must be monitored so that does not happen.

It can also cause a heart problem if the person is dehydrated or low in potassium or magnesium.

The main reason it was withdrawn from the US market was that the doctors failed to follow the recommendations sent to them in a warning letter. They continued to give this drug to the elderly who were on diuretics for blood pressure, which deplete magnesium and potassium. Doctors continued to give Propulsid to patients on certain other drugs that increased blood levels of the Propulsid. So in the end after about 45 deaths, the FDA took it off the common market, and put the heavy restrictions on it. You will always see lawsuits about drugs. This drug when used properly was very effective. It is still available for vet use in animals (cats).

The history of Propulsid is very revealing of how medical doctors in this country ignore or fail to learn about the very drugs they prescribe. It is the most obvious case of this in the past 40 yrs. Another similar one was Duract (which was a potent NSAID), and was not to be used more than 14 days at a time. Doctors ignored that one too, and people died of liver failure. (I used to fight with those doctors on the phone, when I refused to fill those RXs as written with 6 refills of 100.) But Duract had the built in toxicity ...and Propulsid does not when used properly.