Cardiovascular effects ziprasidone

Cardiovascular side effects. Ziprasidone produced a mean QTc prolongation of 21 ms at maximal blood levels achieved with typical therapeutic doses. However, in all clinical trials, the rate of QTc intervals greater than 500 ms (considered a threshold for arrhythmia risk) did not differ from the rate associated with placebo (<0.1%). The QTc effect of ziprasidone is larger than that of other atypical antipsychotics but smaller than that of thioridazine. Blood levels of ziprasidone increased about 40% when ketoconazole (a metabolic inhibitor) was coadministered, and no change in QTc duration was detected. 

No placebo-controUed trials are currently available evaluating quetiapine, ziprasidone, or aripiprazole in psychosis of dementia. An open-label study suggests possible effect and good tolerability with quetiapine. For patients who respond inadequately, have elevated cardiovascular risk, or who have unacceptable side effects... 

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