Abstract

The consensus statement by the Royal College of Psychiatrists recommended that patients on high dose antipsychotic medication receive regular electro-cardiographic monitoring to identify prolongation of the QT interval. A survey of trainee psychiatrists in three hospitals investigated the accuracy with which trainees could identify this abnormality and found only 20% could do so.

Highlights

  • Prolongation of the QT Interval on the electro cardiograph (ECG) is thought to Indicate predis position to malignant tachyarrhythmias and sudden death (Thomas, 1994)

  • Our study aimed to identify the accuracy with which trainee psychiatrists detected ECG abnormalities including QT prolongation

  • The median interval between qualification and this study was four years and 71% of the sample had postgraduate clinical experience prior to commencing psychiatry

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Summary

Introduction

Prolongation of the QT Interval on the electro cardiograph (ECG) is thought to Indicate predis position to malignant tachyarrhythmias and sudden death (Thomas, 1994). High doses of antipsychotic drugs may be associated with abnormally prolonged QT intervals (Warner et al 1996). In 1994 the Royal College of Psychia trists published the consensus statement recom mending regular electrocardiographic monitoring of all patients on high-dose antipsychotic medica tion (Thompson, 1994).

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Conclusion

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