Adverse Cardiovascular Effects of Psychotropic Medications

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people with serious mental health illnesses, including schizophrenia, major depression and bipolar disorder. The adverse cardiac risk profile of this population is related to the complex interplay between biological, patient-specific and healthcare system factors. A variety of psychotropic medications used to treat these conditions can in themselves produce cardiovascular side effects. This includes autonomic dysfunction, malignant ventricular arrhythmias, heart muscle disorders and vascular thromboembolic events, some of which have been linked with sudden cardiac death. As a result, there is a pressing need for physicians to be aware of the cardio-toxicity associated with psychotropic medication use. In this review, we summarise the main effects of psychotropic drugs on the cardiovascular system and the current recommendations for evaluation and continual monitoring of the many and rapidly increasing number of patients receiving psychotropic pharmacotherapy.