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To the Editor: Drs Al-Khatib and colleagues¹ described mesoridazine as having an unknown potential for causing QT prolongation. Mesoridazine is a metabolite of thioridazine, which the authors indicate as having a very probable potential for causing QT prolongation.

I would appreciate the authors' comments regarding using drugs with an unknown potential of causing QT prolongation, particularly mesoridazine. It seems inconsistent to make no recommendations to obtain an ECG before using mesoridazine but to recommend one before using haloperidol, risperidone, or olanzapine.

Carol Cappuccio, MD
Upper Michigan Behavioral Health Service
Marquette

1. Al-Khatib SM, Allen LaPointe NM, Kramer JM, Califf RM. What clinicians should know about the QT interval. JAMA. 2003;289:2120-2127. FREE FULL TEXT

Letters Section Editor: Stephen J. Lurie, MD, PhD, Senior Editor.

JAMA. 2003;290:1026.

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