Link Between Sudden Cardiac Death and Antipsychotic Medications

Recent research published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that atypical antipsychotic drugs can increase a person’s risk of sudden cardiac death when taken in high doses. Atypical antipsychotics, which were developed to be safer than typical antipsychotic drugs, are newer drugs that doctors prescribe to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other behavior and psychiatric problems. Doctors have been aware for some time that the older typical antipsychotic drugs increase a patient’s risk of sudden cardiac death by almost 2 times. However, this new study reported that patients taking the newer antipsychotic drugs have about 2.26 times the risk of sudden cardiac death, exposing that these “safer” drugs are not risk-free. In addition, a patient taking higher doses of an atypical antipsychotic medication has an even greater risk of sudden cardiac death.

Researchers conducting the study compared two groups of patients, one group taking typical antipsychotic drugs and the other taking atypical antipsychotic drugs. The research revealed that the risk of sudden cardiac death was extremely similar in patients taking either drug. The study also revealed that patients that had stopped taking some these antipsychotic drugs had no increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Experts suggest that doctors prescribing these drugs make sure that other health conditions, such as hypertension, are kept under control to lower the risk of cardiac death. In addition, it is recommended that patients taking these medications are examined for any warning signs of cardiac problems and that the lowest possible dosage be used to treat these conditions. When a doctor prescribes too high or too low a dose of some medication, or prescribes the wrong medication altogether, that doctor may be responsible for the injuries resulting from that medication error. If you or a loved one has been the victim of medication malpractice in New York, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau or Suffolk, please contact the experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Silberstein Awad & Miklos, P.C. today to schedule your free initial consultation.

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