Life-Threatening Effects of Antipsychotic Drugs [Hardcover]

Life-Threatening Effects of Antipsychotic Drugs describes in detail more than 20 life-threatening effects associated with antipsychotics, presents the best available data on their incidence and case fatality, and gives comprehensive advice on diagnosis, management and preventive strategies. In addition, the book discusses the benefit of antipsychotic medication in a range of therapeutic indications, and demonstrates the gain in life-expectancy associated with clozapine use in severe mental illness despite its serious, potentially life-threatening adverse effects.

• Covers cardiovascular, neurological, muscular, hematological, gastrointestinal, autonomic and metabolic effects
• Gives advice on risk factors, confounding diagnoses and measures to minimise seriousness
• Discusses clozapine rechallenge after each of its serious adverse reactions
• Makes suggestions for optimum management of somatic disease in those with severe mental illness, to improve life-expectancy
• Includes data on post-mortem considerations

Part I: Cardiovascular Adverse Effects of Antipsychotic Drugs

Chapter 1 - Sudden Cardiac Death and Ventricular Arrhythmias

Peter Manu, Anca Dan and Gheorghe-Andrei Dan

Chapter 2 - Myocarditis and Cardiomyopathy

Kathlyn J. Ronaldson

Chapter 3 - Pulmonary Embolism

Peter Manu, Christopher Hohman, James F. Barrecchia, and Matisyahu Shulman

Chapter 4 - Orthostatic Hypotension

James J. Gugger and Megan J. Ehret

Part II: Hematological Complications of Treatment With Antipsychotic Drugs

Chapter 5 - Severe Neutropenia and AgranuloclÃ.