Discontinuation of thioridazine in patients with learning disabilities: balancing cardiovascular toxicity with adverse consequences of changing drugs

doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7352.1519

BMJ 2002;324:1519-1521 ( 22 June )

Education and debate

Discontinuation of thioridazine in patients with learning disabilities: balancing cardiovascular toxicity with adverse consequences of changing drugs

Simon J C Davies, clinical research fellow ^a, Leila B Cooke, consultant, psychiatry of learning disabilities ^b, Alan G Moore, consultant psychiatrist ^c, John Potokar, consultant ^d.

^a Psychopharmacology Unit, School of Medical Sciences, Bristol BS8 1TD, ^b Bristol Central Community Learning Disability Team, Bristol BS16 1EQ, ^c Blackberry Hill Hospital, Bristol BS16 2EW, ^d Liaison Psychiatry, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol BS2 8HW

Correspondence to: S J C Davies simondavies@apexmail.com

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

When evidence emerges on rare but potentially dangerous drug effects, the Committee on Safety of Medicines needs to act toprotect the public. On the basis of clinical experience afterguidelines relating to thioridazine were revised, Davies and colleaguesargue that directives should take greater account of the risksassociated with changing successfully established drug regimens,especially in vulnerable populations such as people with learningdisabilities

When new evidence is unearthed of rare but dangerous side effects of drugs used in current practice, agencies such as theCommittee on Safety of Medicines need to review and rewrite prescriptionguidelines. When new guidelines restrict the use of a commonlyprescribed agent to a limited range of circumstances, doctorsmay be left in a dilemma. Patients who do not meet the criteriafor continuing with a drug under revised guidelines, but who benefitfrom using it, may have to be exposed to . . . [Full text of this article]

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