Newer antipsychotic agents like olanzapine, risperidone, and quetiapine are just as likely to cause sudden cardiac death as older agents such as haloperidol and thioridazine, according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
In an accompanying editorial, Sebastian Scheeweiss and Jerry Avorn argue that in “the absence of clearly established benefits” the use of these drugs should be restricted, especially “in vulnerable populations and outside the labeled indications.” When the drugs are deemed necessary, ECGs should be obtained before and after initiation of drug therapy.
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