Psychotropic drugs can produce cardiovascular side effects associated with a degree of cardiotoxicity. The coexistence of a heart disease complicates the management of mental illness, can contribute to a reduced quality of life and a worse illness course. The co-occurrence of psychiatric disorders in cardiac patients might affect the clinical outcome and morbidity. Moreover, the complex underlying mechanism that links these two conditions remains unclear. This paper discusses the known cardiovascular complications of psychotropic drugs and analyzes the important implications of antidepressive treatment in patients with previous cardiac history.
Keywords: antidepressants; antipsychotics; arrhythmia; cardiotoxicity; cardiovascular system; psychiatric disorders.