DRUG REACTIONS

Concerns over antipsychotic safety The UK Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM)

has urged caution over the use of the new antipsy­chotic agents, remoxipride and c1ozapine.

This warning followed recent reports of 8 cases of aplastic anaemia occurring amongst 50 000 remoxipride recipients worldwide [see Inpharma 914: 21, 20 Nov 1993], and 4 cases of myocarditis among 5000 patients in the UK receiving c10zapine [see Inpharma 916: 21. 4 Dec 1993).

However, Robert Kerwin, from the Institute of Psychiatry, London, questions whether the risk associated with these newer anti psychotics is any greater than for older antipsychotic agents. Myocarditis and blood dyscrasias are also associated with older anti psychotics, as are adverse effects such as arrhythmias, hepatic abnormalities, convulsions, neuroleptic malignant syndrome. tardive dyskinesia and sudden death.

Robert Kerwin believes that the newer anti psychotics are an improvement on the older agents, being as effective but better tolerated. Kerwin R. Adverse reaction reporting and new antipsychotics. Lancet 342: 1440. I J Dec 1993 )ll,'l(1:'.,jjt!l,t

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INPHARMA" 18 Dec 1993