The spouse of MP Eemeli Peltonen (SDP), who died by suicide in the Parliament building last month, has said she suspects that a corticosteroid medication affected Peltonen's mental state.
"Eemeli had no history of mental health issues, but corticosteroid treatment caused him unusually severe psychological side effects," Sofia Nevalainen wrote in a post on social media.
According to Nevalainen, Peltonen actively sought help, but the matter was not addressed early enough, nor taken seriously enough. She said she will be filing a patient injury report.
"Guidance regarding such rare, yet entirely possible and life-threatening symptoms were inadequate," Nevalainen wrote.
Peltonen had spoken publicly during the summer about his health problems. At the end of the spring parliamentary session, he had been on sick leave for several weeks due to kidney-related health issues.
Peltonen died by suicide in the Parliament House on 19 August. He was a member of the Parliament's administrative and legal committees and also chaired the Järvenpää City Council.
Spouse: Treatment caused the death
Nevalainen has given an interview to commercial broadcaster MTV News, in which she stated that her husband’s death was in no way connected to his work in politics.
Peltonen had been diagnosed with a rare kidney disease called Minimal Change Disease (MCD), for which he was prescribed a corticosteroid medication called Prednisolone.
Nevalainen said she does not know how clearly Eemeli was warned about the possible side effects of the medication. Corticosteroids can cause sleep disruptions, mood swings, confusion, and depression, according to the drugs warning labels.
According to her, Peltonen’s mood began to decline after starting the treatment, and eventually he also suffered from suicidal thoughts.
"The treatment caused Eemeli’s death, not the illness. That is my view," she told MTV News.
The Finnish Parliament opened its autumn term on Tuesday afternoon with a minute of silence in Peltonen's memory. On that occasion, Speaker Jussi Halla-aho, with the family’s permission, stated that the death was related to health concerns.
Medication considered safe
Specialist in psychiatry Aki Rovasalo told Yle that he considers Prednisolone, a corticosteroid drug used by Peltonen, to be a safe medication. It is commonly used, for example, in the treatment of asthma, cancer, and many autoimmune diseases.
"Of course, if very high doses are used for a long time, the risks of side effects increase," Rovasalo said.
According to him, side effects from high doses of Prednisolone may occur in one out of five patients. One such side effect is psychosis. Severe psychotic disorders occur in about five percent of users.
According to Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea, at high doses, it is common for patients to experience insomnia and anxiety. The agency said, by contrast, suicidal thoughts, suicidal tendencies, and psychosis are rare.
Nevalainen told MTV News that while Peltonen sought help for distressing thoughts, he received little mental health support alongside treatment for his physical illness.
Since 1980, Fimea has received 186 adverse reaction reports related to Prednisolone. The most commonly reported side effects included fatigue, nausea, insomnia, and dizziness.
Drugs cannot always be avoided
Rovasalo urged patients who develop suicidal thoughts to speak to their doctor. He said most Finnish hospitals have a consulting psychiatrist to tailor treatment options.
"The problem is that we cannot always avoid these drugs, because they are urgently needed to treat underlying illnesses," Rovasalo said.
Fimea noted that a warning is included in the medication package: "Prednisolone treatment may cause psychiatric disorders such as euphoria, insomnia, mood swings, personality changes, depression, and psychotic tendencies. If you suspect depression or may have suicidal thoughts, contact your doctor immediately."
