With the discovery that the drug Thioridazine (Mellaril) can affect heart rhythm and produce serious heart problems, concern has been raised about other drugs. Most of the anti-psychotic agents have been implicated in heart trouble to some degree. However, they differ in the amount of heart trouble produced. These agents affect the rate and rhythm of the heart. Those who experience heart trouble when taking anti-psychotic agents initially experience a slowing of the heart rate; the beat of the heart is prolonged. Too low of a heart beat depletes oxygen supply to vital organs, including the heart. Furthermore, once a heart rate becomes too slow heart rhythms can also be affected.

. A list of drugs which produce heart trouble has been widely circulated among professionals. This list can be found at The list is maintained by Dr. Raymond Woosely, MD, PhD, in the Department of Pharmacology at Georgetown University. Even some of the newer anti-psychotic agents have been reported to produce serious heart problems. However, most of newer ones are safer and consumers can switch to these alternatives. These newer and safer medications seem as effective in treating symptoms. Respirdal, Zyprexia, Seraquel are three new anti-psychotic medications which appear to be safer alternatives. . Periodic heart examinations are required to protect the health of the patient who takes anti-psychotic medications.

Medications that are necessary for psychiatric problems should not be medications that produce these types of heart effects. Hopefully, research will provide patients with safer alternative medications in the near future. In the meantime, patients should talk with their doctors and pharmacists if they have any concerns about the medication that they are currently using.