The Relationship Between Antipsychotic Drug Use and Electrocardiography Parameters

• Main Authors: Mehmet Emin Demİrkol, Lut Tamam, Soner Çakmak, Caner Yeşiloğlu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar 2019-12-01
• Series: Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar
• Subjects: antipsychotic drug; arrhythmia; electrocardiography (ecg); psychosis; qt interval
• Online Access: http://psikguncel.org/archives/vol11/no5/cap_11_05_11_en.pdf

Antipsychotic drugs have many known metabolic and cardiac effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between electrocardiographic parameters and antipsychotic drug use in inpatients with psychotic disorder. For this purpose, electrocardiograms (ECG) of 200 psychotic patients who were hospitalized in our clinic were examined and the relationship between QTc interval, R-R distance and PR interval, the number of antipsychotic drugs used and the effect of antipsychotics on QTc were investigated. According to the data obtained, QTc intervals of the patients using multiple antipsychotic drugs were found to be significantly longer than those using monotherapy. When antipsychotic drugs were classified according to their potency on QTc, QTc intervals were found to be significantly longer in those receiving moderately effective drugs compared to lower effective drugs. In conclusion, considering the frequency of cardiovascular side effects in the follow-up and treatment of patients with psychotic disorder, multiple antipsychotic drugs use should be avoided as much as possible and drug selection should be given importance.