Managing cardiovascular disease risk in patients treated with antipsychotics: a multidisciplinary approach.
BACKGROUND
The use of antipsychotic medication in the United States and throughout the world has greatly increased over the last fifteen years. These drugs have significant side effect burdens, many of them relating to cardiovascular health.


OBJECTIVE
To review the available evidence on the major cardiovascular issues that arise in patients taking antipsychotic medication.


METHODS
A PubMed literature review was performed to identify recent meta-analyses, review articles, and large studies. Further articles were identified through cited papers and based on expert consultation when necessary.


RESULTS
CLINICAL GUIDANCE ON THE FOLLOWING ADVERSE EFFECTS AND ANTIPSYCHOTICS WAS REVIEWED: electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, (specifically, prolonged QT and risk of torsades de pointes), weight gain, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and myocarditis. Specific attention was paid to monitoring guidelines and treatment options in the event of adverse events, including dose change, medication switch, or adjuvant therapy.
Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, NY, USA.
Matisyahu
M
Shulman
The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, The Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
Avraham
A
Miller
Department of Medicine, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, USA.
Jason
J
Misher
Department of Internal Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA.
Aleksey
A
Tentler
increased mortality; myocarditis; prolonged QT; schizophrenia; weight gain