Antipsychotic Use and the risk of rhabdomyolysis

Abstract

Rhabdomyolysis is not a well-understood adverse effect of antipsychotic use. Proposed mechanisms suggest involvement of serotoninergic and/or dopaminergic blockade. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between antipsychotic use and rhabdomyolysis. Patients admitted with rhabdomyolysis and taking an antipsychotic from January 2009 to October 2011 were included. Background demographics, laboratory data, medical and physical history, concomitant medications, and hospital course data were collected. Of the 673 cases admitted with rhabdomyolysis, 71 (10.5%) were on an antipsychotic. This is significantly greater when compared to the general US population, where only 1.3% of individuals take an antipsychotic drug (P