Psychotropic Medications, Associated QTc Prolongation, and Sudden Cardiac Death: A Review for Clinicians
نویسنده
چکیده
Prolongation of QTC is an electrocardiographic finding indicating prolongation of cardiac repolarization, which increases the risk for torsades de pointes, a form of ventricular tachycardia that can lead to sudden cardiac death. Sudden cardiac death in the setting of antipsychotic treatment was first described in the 1960s with thioridazine; since that time, many other psychotropic medications have been associated with QTc prolongation. This article reviews the electrophysiology of the cardiac cycle and the mechanism of QTc prolongation. Each major class of psychotropic medications also is reviewed, focusing on its propensity to prolong QTc and association with torsades de pointes (TdP) and sudden cardiac death. Other risk factors for TdP are also discussed. Examination of the management and treatment of QTc prolongation and TdP aims to assist the Psychotropic Medications, Associated QTc Prolongation, and Sudden Cardiac Death: A Review for Clinicians
منابع مشابه
Psychotropics and sudden cardiac death.
Over the past two decades there has been a large increase in the number of patients prescribed psychotropic medications. Many of these agents are associated with QTc prolongation which is considered a marker for increased risk of sudden cardiac death due to malignant arrhythmias such as Torsades de pointes (TdP). Psychotropics rarely lead to sudden death in healthy individuals on a single QTc p...
متن کاملQTc prolongation, torsades de pointes, and psychotropic medications.
BACKGROUND Prolongation of the corrected QT (QTc) interval is a key issue for patients who receive psychotropic medications. Such patients may have baseline clinical risk factors for QTc prolongation, and many psychotropic medications may further prolong this interval. This has great clinical relevance, as QTc prolongation is linked with dangerous arrhythmias, especially torsades de pointes (Td...
متن کامل[Psychotropic drugs and sudden death].
Sudden death associated with psychotropic drugs is an issue in clinical practice which is currently debated worldwide in the literature. The objective of this work is to review recent literature on the issue (up to the end of 2004). The literature focuses mainly on the association between unexplained sudden death and antipsychotics and, to a lesser degree, tricyclic antidepressants; there are f...
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متن کاملPsychotropic drugs, cardiac arrhythmia, and sudden death.
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