Which of the following metabolic changes is associated with QTc prolongation?
QTc prolongation
In addition to psychotropic drugs, there are a number of additional risk factors for QTc prolongation to consider.
QTc prolongation is an indicator of risk of torsade de pointes and increased cardiac mortality.
| Risk factors for QTc prolongation |
|---|
| Long QT syndrome Bradycardia Ischaemic heart disease Myocarditis Myocardial infarction Left ventricular hypertrophy Hypokalaemia Hypomagnesaemia Hypocalcaemia Extreme physical exertion Stress or shock Anorexia nervosa Extremes of age (old or young) Female gender |
You should also be aware that a number of non-psychotopic drugs can cause QTc prolongation.
| Class | Examples |
|---|---|
| Antibiotics | Ampicillin Erythromycin |
| Antiarrthythmics | Amiodarone Sotalol |
| Antimalarials | Chloroquine Quinine |
| Others | Methadone Tamoxifen Amantadine |
Above tables adapted from the Maudsley Guidelines
