Serial assessment of corrected qt interval and its clinical correlates in patients receiving psychotropic medications

Abstract

Background & Aims: Psychotropic medications vary in propensity to cause QTC prolongation on electrocardiogram. It can be fatal sometimes. Prospective Indian studies in this area are lacking. Present study was conducted to prospectively assess the changes in QTC in patients receiving psychotropic medications. Settings and Design: Hospital based prospective observational study. Methods: A total of 150 patients aged 18-60 years, diagnosed as having any psychiatric illness and receiving psychotropic medications formed the sample. Psychiatric diagnosis was made according to DSM-5. Baseline ECG was done and psychotropic medications as per the diagnosis of the patient were started. Serial ECGs were performed on them up to one month post treatment. Results: Females constituted 54.7% of the sample. Major Depressive Disorder was the most common diagnosis. The duration of illness was less than 6 months in 47.3% of the patients. The dose of all psychotropic medications prescribed were in the therapeutic range and none of them exceeded the recommended maximum dose. Psychotropic medication was associated with increase in QTC from baseline. The prevalence of QTC prolongation was 1.40% at first follow up and 15% at second follow up. It ranged between 1 ms to 21 ms.