Adverse cardiac events in out-patients initiating clozapine treatment: a nationwide register-based study
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
OBJECTIVE: Using national Danish registers, we estimated rates of clozapine-associated cardiac adverse events. Rates of undiagnosed myocarditis were estimated by exploring causes of death after clozapine initiation.
METHOD: Through nationwide health registers, we identified all out-patients initiating antipsychotic treatment (January 1, 1996-January 1, 2015). Rates of clozapine-associated myocarditis and pericarditis within 2 months from clozapine initiation and rates of cardiomyopathy within 1-2 years from clozapine initiation were compared to rates for other antipsychotics. Mortality within 2 months from clozapine initiation was extracted.
RESULTS: Three thousand two hundred and sixty-two patients of a total 7932 patients initiated clozapine as out-patients (41.12%). One patient (0.03%) developed myocarditis, and no patients developed pericarditis within 2 months from clozapine initiation. Two (0.06%) and four patients (0.12%) developed cardiomyopathy within 1 and 2 years respectively. Rates were similar for other antipsychotics. Twenty-six patients died within 2 months from clozapine initiation. Pneumonia (23.08%) and stroke (11.54%) were the main causes of death. We estimated the maximum rate of clozapine-associated fatal myocarditis to 0.28%.
CONCLUSION: Cardiac adverse effects in Danish out-patients initiating clozapine treatment are extremely rare and these rates appear to be comparable to those observed for other antipsychotic drugs.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica |
Volume | 137 |
Issue number | 1 |
Pages (from-to) | 47-53 |
ISSN | 0001-690X |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2018 |
- Journal Article
Research areas
ID: 186191603