ECG monitoring

Schizophrenia patients nowadays are closer to an improved functioning due to the better clinical profile of modern antipsychotics. Today it is possible to prescribe effective treatments like Serdolect with high patient tolerability. Switching to Serdolect provides high efficiency with placebo-level EPS and no sedation or excessive weight gain.

Antipsychotics may cause ECG changes
ECG changes are associated with several antipsychotic drugs; ECG monitoring is therefore often recommended when prescribing these drugs to limit the risk of cardiovascular complications. In “Sertindole: efficacy and safety in schizophrenia”, Lindström & Levander concludes that:

 “Mandatory ECG monitoring does not have to be viewed as negative, but should be considered as good medical practice. In spite of the high frequency of cardiovascular problems among schizophrenics, few seek help and few receive help from the treatment system. Routine ECG monitoring is a cheap, noninvasive method to identify patients with an undiscovered cardiovascular disorder without inducing anxiety in the patient” (ref.1).

When prescribing Serdolect ECG monitoring is required at baseline, when reaching steady state, and every 3 months during maintenance treatment (ref. Serdolect SPC). For further reading on the nature of ECG, we recommend the booklet: “To the heart of the ECG: a pocket guide for psychiatrists”. The booklet presents the electrophysiology of the heart, the QT interval as a component of the ECG trace, and it describes the risks of QT prolongation associated with antipsychotic medications and methods for minimizing those risks.

Published: 07/02/2007   Last updated: 18/05/2010