Are psychotropic drugs at therapeutic levels a concern fo cardiologists?
GW Burggraf OBJECTIVE: To review the cardiovascular effects of psychotropic drugs when used in therapeutic doses and to assess their clinical relevance for cardiologists. Information on newer psychopharmacological agents is also presented. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE was used to search the relevant English language medical literature over the past five years. Standard texts and selected earlier references were also used. Input was obtained from local experts. DATA SYNTHESIS: Many antipsychotics and antidepressants have the potential for causing malignant ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac conduction disturbances. Postural hypotension is also a common side effect with important associated morbidity. The effects of psychotropic drugs on myocardial contractile properties are not significant at therapeutic dose levels. Older agents, such as phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, are responsible for most of the reported adverse cardiovascular effects of psych
