Junior doctors' knowledge and practice of electrocardiographic monitoring for high-risk patients receiving antipsychotic medications

Abstract

AIMS AND METHOD: The risk of developing fatal tachyarrhythmias can increase in patients receiving antipsychotic medication. Two surveys were conducted, one to evaluate junior doctors' knowledge of the QT c interval and the second to investigate the experience of electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring among patients on four acute psychiatric wards. RESULTS: The first survey revealed that junior doctors were lacking in knowledge regarding the QT c interval. The second revealed that ECG monitoring of high-risk patients was inadequate. Half of the high-risk patients who required an ECG were not given one, whereas 6% who did not require one still received this investigation, CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: There is a need to increase knowledge about the cardiac risk of antipsychotic medication on psychiatric wards. Following simple recommendations could improve clinical practice.