Vigilant Monitoring Is Needed to Manage Cardiac Risks in Patients Using Antipsychotics, Doctors Say

The use of the antipsychotic drugs quetiapine and haloperidolis associated with an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD) caused by drug-induced QT prolongation, reports a new study(opens in new tab/window) in Heart Rhythm(opens in new tab/window),the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society, the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society, and the Pediatric & Congenital Electrophysiology Society, published by Elsevier. Caution is advised to manage cardiac risks in patients prescribed these medications, the authors of the study and an accompanying editorial say.

The risks of cardiac conditions associated with the use of antipsychotics have been a concern for the last 30 years. Drugs have previously been either removed from the market or had their use restricted due to an unacceptably high risk of lethal ventricular arrhythmias. Drug-induced cardiac arrhythmias, however, remain an important clinical issue because there are drugs that increase the risk of SCD, but remain on the market because they serve an important clinical need and there are no safer alternatives.

Professor Jamie Vandenberg, PhD, MBBS, FHRS, of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia, co-author of the editorial accompanying the study, explains, "Of the 41 drugs on the market in the United States that are listed as having known risk of heart rhythm disorders, five are antipsychotic drugs, the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia and psychosis. The use of antipsychotic drugs is associated with an approximately two-fold increased risk of sudden cardiac death. If we cannot eliminate this risk, then at the least, we need to minimize the risk by identifying those patients who are at highest risk and managing them more closely."

Lead investigator of the study Shang-Hung Chang, MD, PhD, of the Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan, adds, "The use of the antipsychotics quetiapine and haloperidol to treat mental disorders is widespread. In an effort to enhance patient safety and optimize the management of individuals receiving these medications, we have investigated the incidences, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of severe QT prolongation to provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers."

The research involved a retrospective analysis of electronic medical records of a large cohort of patients from a healthcare provider in Taiwan who received quetiapine or haloperidol therapy. Investigators evaluated the incidences, risk factors, and clinical correlates of severe QT prolongation (i.e., ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death) in these patients. The most significant results of the study were that more than 10% of patients developed severe QT prolongation during follow-up and the increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in quetiapine or haloperidol users who developed severe QT prolongation.

Co-author Chun-Li Wang, MD, of the Cardiovascular Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan, says the findings underscore the importance of closely monitoring patients receiving these medications and implementing appropriate risk mitigation strategies to ensure patient safety. "Clinicians should be aware of the potential risks associated with quetiapine use, particularly the risk of severe QT prolongation and its associated outcomes, including ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.”

Professor Vandenberg comments, "It would be prudent to undertake an ECG before and after commencement of an antipsychotic drug. If it is an option, one could stop a drug causing QT prolongation and try a different antipsychotic. But if this is not practical, one should pay particular attention to reducing other risk factors, such as prescription of other drugs that may exacerbate QT prolongation and be vigilant for hypokalemia."

Notes for editors

The article is“Incidences, risk factors, and clinical correlates of severe QT prolongation after the use of quetiapine or haloperidol,”byChun-Li Wang, MD, Victor Chien-Chia Wu, MD, Cheng Hung Lee, MD, PhD, Chia-Ling Wu, MS, Hui-Ming Chen, MS, Yu-Tung Huang, PhD, and Shang-Hung Chang, MD, PhD (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2023.10.027(opens in new tab/window)).

The editorial is “The real-world incidence of severe QT prolongation in patients taking antipsychotic drugs,”by Clifford TeBay, BBSc (Hons) and Jamie I. Vandenberg, PhD, MBBS, FHRS (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2023.11.012(opens in new tab/window)).

The articles appear online in advance of Heart Rhythm, volume 21, Issue 3 (March 2024) published by Elsevier.

Full text of the articles is available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Jane Grochowski at +1 406 542 8397 or [email protected](opens in new tab/window). Journalists who wish to interview the study authors should contactChun-Li Wang, MD, at [email protected](opens in new tab/window). To reach the editorial’s authors for comment contact Jamie I. Vandenberg, PhD, MBBS, FHRS, at [email protected](opens in new tab/window).

This study was supported by the Maintenance Project of the Center for Big Data Analytics and Statistics (Grant CLRPG3N0011) at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital for study design and monitor, data analysis and interpretation.

About Heart Rhythm

Heart Rhythm(opens in new tab/window), the official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society(opens in new tab/window), the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society(opens in new tab/window), and the Pediatric & Congenital Electrophysiology Society(opens in new tab/window), is a unique journal for fundamental discovery and clinical applicability. It integrates the entire cardiac electrophysiology (EP) community from basic and clinical academic researchers, private practitioners, engineers, allied professionals, industry, and trainees, all of whom are vital and interdependent members of our EP community. www.heartrhythmjournal.com(opens in new tab/window)

About the Heart Rhythm Society

The Heart Rhythm Society(opens in new tab/window) is the international leader in science, education, and advocacy for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and patients, and the primary information resource on heart rhythm disorders. Its mission is to improve the care of patients by promoting research, education, and optimal healthcare policies and standards. The Heart Rhythm Society is the preeminent professional group representing more than 8,000 specialists in cardiac pacing and electrophysiology from more than 94 countries. www.HRSonline.org(opens in new tab/window)

About Elsevier

As a global leader in scientific information and analytics, Elsevier helps researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We do this by facilitating insights and critical decision-making with innovative solutions based on trusted, evidence-based content and advanced AI-enabled digital technologies.

We have supported the work of our research and healthcare communities for more than 140 years. Our 9,500 employees around the world, including 2,500 technologists, are dedicated to supporting researchers, librarians, academic leaders, funders, governments, R&D-intensive companies, doctors, nurses, future healthcare professionals and educators in their critical work. Our 2,900 scientific journals and iconic reference books include the foremost titles in their fields, including Cell Press, The Lancet and Gray’s Anatomy.

Together with the Elsevier Foundation(opens in new tab/window), we work in partnership with the communities we serve to advance inclusion and diversity in science, research and healthcare in developing countries and around the world.

Elsevier is part of RELX(opens in new tab/window), a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information on our work, digital solutions and content, visit www.elsevier.com.