Life-Threatening Effects of Antipsychotic Drugs

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 effectsGives advice on risk factors, confounding diagnoses and measures to minimise seriousnessDiscusses 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-expectancyIncludes 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 Agranulocytosis

John Lally and Robert J. Flanagan

Part III: Antipsychotic-Related Pathology of the Digestive System

Chapter 6 - Gastrointestinal Hypomotility and Dysphagia

Robert J. Flanagan and Kathlyn J. Ronaldson

Chapter 7 - Liver Failure

Katie F.M. Marwick

8. Pancreatitis

Peter Manu, Matisyahu Shulman and Kathlyn J. Ronaldson

Part IV: Major Neurological and Neuromuscular Adverse Effects of Antipsychotic Drugs

Chapter 9 - Seizures

Tilman Steinert and Walter Fröscher

Chapter 10 - Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

Julie Langan Martin and Daniel J. Martin

Chapter 11 - Heat Stroke and Rhabdomyolysis

Kathlyn J. Ronaldson

Part V: Metabolic Complications of Antipsychotic Drug Treatment

Chapter 12 - Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Davy Vancampfort, Richard I.G. Holt, Brendon Stubbs, Marc De Hert, Katherine Samaras and Alex J. Mitchell

Part VI: Other Life-Threatening Effects of Antipsychotic Drugs

Chapter 13 - Interstitial Nephritis and Interstitial Lung Disease

Kathlyn J. Ronaldson

Part VII: Clinical and Forensic Challenges in the Use of Antipsychotic Drugs

Chapter 14 - The Benefits of Antipsychotic Drugs: Symptom Control and Improved Quality of Life

Jian-Ping Zhang

Chapter 15 - Antipsychotic-Related Mortality: Risk and Strategy for Improved Clinical Management

Dan Cohen

Chapter 16 - Forensic Investigation of Antipsychotic-Related Deaths

Robert J. Flanagan and Peter Manu