Expert opinion on drug safety
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There is still uncertainty concerning the risk of fetal malformation associated with the intake of various individual antiepileptic drugs in pregnant women. ⋯ There is reasonable evidence that valproate is a significant teratogen during therapeutic use in women; the other older antiepileptic drugs (phenobarbitone, phenytoin, carbamazepine) probably have some teratogenic potential, but less than valproate; the situation regarding the more recently marketed antiepileptic drugs is not yet clear.
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Expert Opin Drug Saf · Mar 2008
ReviewSudden cardiac death secondary to antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs.
A number of antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs are known to increase the risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Based largely on a concern over QT prolongation and the development of life-threatening arrhythmias, a number of antipsychotic drugs have been temporarily or permanently withdrawn from the market or their use restricted. Some antidepressants and antipsychotics have been linked to QT prolongation and the development of Torsade de pointes arrhythmias, whereas others have been associated with a Brugada syndrome phenotype and the development of polymorphic ventricular arrhythmias. This review examines the mechanisms and predisposing factors underlying the development of cardiac arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death, associated with antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs in clinical use.