Sudden death in patients receiving drugs tending to prolong the QT interval.
OBJECTIVE
To examine risks of sudden death in the community associated with drugs grouped by their risk of causing torsades de pointes (TdP) and to explore the risks for individual drugs.


METHODS
Case-control study comparing prior drug intakes and morbidities, using the Arizona classification of drugs causing TdP. Participants included 1010 patients dying suddenly where post-mortem examination did not identify a clear cause of death, and 3030 matched living controls from primary care.


RESULTS
Noncardiac drug risk was posed by antipsychotics and antidepressants. Significantly raised odds ratios (ORs) were found for takers of typical and atypical antipsychotics, ORs [95% confidence interval] 3.94 (2.05, 7.55) and 4.36 (2.54, 7.51), and of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [SSRIs] rather than tricyclic antidepressants, ORs 2.21 (1.61, 3.05) and 1.44 (0.96, 2.13). No significant risk was associated with other, noncardiac or psychiatric drugs, OR 1.09 (0.85, 1.41). Arizona classified drugs considered to raise risk of TdP were associated with raised risk of sudden death, as were those only weakly associated with TdP and not considered to pose a risk in normal use, ORs 2.08 (1.45, 3.00) and 1.74 (1.33, 2.28), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Atypical and typical antipsychotic drug use were both strongly associated with raised risks, as were SSRIs. Tricyclic antidepressants were not associated with raised risks. The Arizona classification of risk of TdP was a poor predictor of likelihood of noncardiac drug-associated sudden death.
Jolly
Kate
K
Schools of Health & Population Sciences, University of Birmingham College of Medicine and Dental Sciences, Birmingham, UK.
Gammage
Michael D
MD
Cheng
Kar Keung
KK
Bradburn
Peter
P
Banting
Miriam V
MV
Langman
Michael J S
MJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D016171:Torsades de Pointes / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents