Adverse effects of interactions between antipsychotics and medications used in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders
Marcin Siwek, Jarosław Woroń, Aleksandra Gorostowicz, Jerzy Wordliczek
Abstract
BACKGROUND: High level of comorbidity between bipolar disorder or schizophrenia and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in clinical practice may contribute to drug-drug interactions between medications used in these conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate harmful interactions between antipsychotics and medications used in treatment of CVD. METHODS: The analysis of 52 cases of adverse reactions with a clinical picture indicates that they were the result of the combination of antipsychotic with cardiovascular medications. RESULTS: The highest number of interactions with antipsychotics was recorded among beta-blockers (n = 13, 25% of all cases), including cardiac arrhythmias [atrial fibrillation (n = 1): risperidone plus atenolol; bradycardia (n = 1): perphenazine with metoprolol; ventricular arrhythmias: sertindole with metoprolol (n = 1) and ziprasidone with sotalol (n = 3)] and hypotension [chlorprotixene with nebivolol or metoprolol (n = 2)]. 12 cases concerned statins-myalgia, myopathy, or creatine kinase elevation appeared after combination of atorvastatin with haloperidol (n = 1), quetiapine (n = 3) or risperidone (n = 1), and simvastatin with quetiapine (n = 5) or risperidone (n = 2). There were also cases of interactions observed for the use of antipsychotics with anti-arrhythmic drugs (amiodarone, flecainide, propafenone) (n = 11), calcium channel blockers (n = 6), and other cardiac medications: clonidine, dabigatran, doxazosin, ivabradine, and losartan (n = 10). CONCLUSIONS: Due to a high risk of interactions and related adverse effects, particular attention should be paid while using cardiovascular medications with antipsychotics. Clinical decisions should be preceded by a detailed analysis of safety, risk-benefit ratio to search for, as safe as possible, drug combinations.