Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Electrocardiogram Recordings in Anesthetized Mice using Lead II
Published on: June 20, 2020
[Factors related to the length of the corrected QT interval in patients treated with antipsychotics]
David Fraguas Herráez1, Paula Laita de Roda, Guillermo González Balmaseda
1Departamento de Psiquiatría, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España. davidfraguas@hggm.es
Background And Objective:
The length of the heart-rate corrected QT interval (QTc) has been associated with an increased risk of cardiac dysrhythmia and sudden death. QTc length has been related to age, obesity, poor glycemic control, and use of drugs, such as antipsychotic medications. The objective of this cross-sectional naturalistic study was to assess the factors associated with QTc length in patients treated with antipsychotics.
Patients And Method:
Bazett's formula for heart-rate correction was used to compute the corrected QT in 195 psychiatric inpatients treated with antipsychotics -117 males (60.0%), 78 females (40.0%); age (standard deviation): 28.4 (17.3) years (range: 12-84)-.
Results:
Older age (p < 0.001) and female gender (p = 0.006) were the only factors significantly related to longer QTc interval. Diagnosis, type of antipsychotic, dosage of antipsychotic, tobacco use, and cardiovascular history were not related to QTc length. Only one male patient with QTc = 455 had a pathological QTc length (females > 470 ms, males > 450 ms).
Conclusions:
Factors related to QTc length in patients treated with antipsychotics are equivalent to those found in previous studies in patients not treated with antipsychotics.
Related Concept Videos
Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy
Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview
Pharmacodynamic Models: Linear Concentration–Effect Model
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias
Drug Toxicity: Risk factors
Antipsychotic Drugs: Typical and Atypical Agents
