title: P wave and QT changes among inpatients with schizophrenia after parenteral ziprasidone administration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although ziprasidone has been reported to cause ventricular arrhythmias, there have been no studies regarding the influence of ziprasidone on atrial conduction. Intraatrial and interatrial conduction time prolongation and inhomogeneous propagation of sinus impulses are indicated by P wave changes on surface electrocardiography. We aimed to evaluate proneness to atrial fibrillation after intramuscular ziprasidone in drug-free inpatients with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 11 eligible inpatients who were drug free for at least 4 weeks with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia disorder and 11 healthy controls who were hospital staff members. Electrocardiography was performed at baseline and 1.5-2h after ziprasidone injection. A 12-lead surface electrocardiogram was obtained from each subject in the supine position at a paper speed of 50mm/s and 2mV/cm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The changes between baseline and the period after parenteral ziprasidone administration in P-wave duration, P-wave dispersion, QTc, QTc(max), QTc(min), and QT dispersion variables were significant (p>0.05). The initial P-wave dispersion was significantly longer in patients than in healthy controls (p<0.05). There were no correlations between electrocardiography parameters and clinical severity scores or demographic variables in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intramuscular ziprasidone administration does not seem to influence atrial and ventricular electrical conduction in drug-free inpatients with schizophrenia. However, schizophrenia might affect atrial conduction resulting in atrial fibrillation, which may be a cause of some complications in inpatients with this schizophrenia.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Afyon Kocatepe, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. hmuratemul@hotmail.com
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Emul
authors: Mihriban
authors: M
authors: Dalkiran
authors: Orhan
authors: O
authors: Coskun
authors: Ruhi
authors: R
authors: Yavuz
authors: Musa
authors: M
authors: Tosun
authors: Alaattin
authors: A
authors: Duran
authors: Mufit
authors: M
authors: Ugur
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Keles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010879:Piperazines; D013844:Thiazoles; C092292:ziprasidone