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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Joseph Reilly, Dr Salma Ayis, Emeritus Professor Nicol Ferrier, Professor Simon ThomasORCiD
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Background: Sudden death has been linked to antipsychotic therapy, but the relative risk associated with specific drugs is unknown. Aims: To assess the risk of sudden unexplained death associated with antipsychotic drug therapy and its relation to drug dose and individual agents. Method: A case-control study of psychiatric in-patients dying suddenly in five hospitals in the north-east of England and surviving controls matched for age, gender and mental disorder. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant risk factors, and odds ratios were calculated. Results: Sixty-nine case-control clusters were identified. Probable sudden unexplained death was significantly associated with hypertension, ischaemic heart disease and current treatment with thioridazine (adjusted odds ratio=5.3, 95% Cl1.7-16.2, P=0.004).There was no significant association with other individual antipsychotic drugs. Conclusion: Thioridazine alone was associated with sudden unexplained death, the likely mechanism being drug-induced arrythmia.
Author(s): Reilly JG, Ayis SA, Ferrier IN, Jones SJ, Thomas SHL
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: British Journal of Psychiatry
Year: 2002
Volume: 180
Pages: 515-522
Print publication date: 01/01/2002
ISSN (print): 0007-1250
ISSN (electronic): 1472-1465
Publisher: Royal College of Psychiatrists
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.180.6.515
DOI: 10.1192/bjp.180.6.515
PubMed id: 12042230
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