Cardiovascular effects of novel antipsychotic medications

This article reviews current knowledge of cardiovascular effects and drug interactions of the most commonly used novel antipsychotics, including clozapine and the atypical antipsychotics. The literature was reviewed through MEDLINE and PSYCINFO searches of articles published from 1980 to 2001. Materials were located using search terms such as antipsychotics and atypical antipsychotics, matched with the terms cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, cardiac risk factor, cardiovascular effects, and cardiac effects. Individual drug names were also searched and their 2001 package inserts were reviewed. Drug compendiums from 1998 to 2001 and some psychopharmacology texts were also used for this review. This article focuses on direct cardiovascular effects of these medications and the most common interactions between the antipsychotic and cardiovascular medications.