FRESH fears have been raised over the safety of antipsychotic drugs.
First-generation antipsychotics, which are mainly used to treat schizophrenia, mania or delusion disorder, are known to raise the risk of heart problems.
Now Wayne Ray at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and colleagues report that newer antipsychotics such as olanzapine, risperidone and quetiapine, which were thought to be safer than their older counterparts, also pose risks. The researchers found these drugs double the risk of sudden cardiac death among people aged 30 to 74 (The New England Journal of Medicine, vol 360, p 231). Ray believes a perception that these drugs are safe has led to them being prescribed more.
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Meanwhile Clive Ballard at King鈥檚 College London and his colleagues have completed the first long-term study of the effect of antipsychotics on people with Alzheimer鈥檚, who are given the drugs to reduce aggression and agitation. They found that prolonged use increases the risk of premature death, and recommend antipsychotics only as a last resort in people with Alzheimer鈥檚 (The Lancet Neurology, ).