Minimizing Cardiovascular Adverse Effects of Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs in Patients with Schizophrenia

Table 6

Relative risk of QTc interval prolongation with common antipsychotic agents.

Risk level	Agent
ECG required or strongly recommended before prescribing (most commonly associated with QTc interval prolongation and torsade de pointes)	Thioridazine; Mesoridazine; Droperidol; Pimozide; Haloperidol in large doses IV (commonly ≥100 mg/d)
Mild to moderate risk of QTc interval prolongation (~20 ms) when prescribed alone or with a metabolic inhibitor	Quetiapine; Ziprasidone; Chlorpromazine
Little or no risk of QTc interval prolongation (~20 ms) when prescribed alone or with a metabolic inhibitor	Haloperidol (oral); Olanzapine; Risperidone; Clozapine