PEF Clinical Fact: Antipsychotic of Choice in COVID & Pneumonia

This educational activity is dedicated to the essential and must-know clinical facts regarding the interaction of COVID-19 and Psychiatry.

This educational series will be discussed in the following five sections:

(1) PULMONARY: COVID-19 & Psychiatry:

• Antipsychotics: Cautions, Risk Factors; Preferred antipsychotics and High-Risk antipsychotics.
• Antidepressants: Cautions, Risk Factors; At-Risk antidepressants.
• Mood Stabilizers: Preferred and At-Risk mood stabilizers (individual and combinations)
• Benzodiazepines: Risk Factors; Preferred benzodiazepine.

(2) CARDIAC: COVID-19 & Psychiatry:

• Antipsychotics: High-Risk, Moderate-Risk and Low-Risk antipsychotics.
• Antidepressants: High-Risk, Moderate-Risk and Low-Risk antidepressants.
• Mood Stabilizers: Preferred mood stabilizer.
• Management of psychosis and agitation in medical-surgical patients who have or are at risk for prolonged QT interval.

(3) HEMATOLOGIC: COVID-19 & Psychiatry:

• Antidepressants: of choice with Bleeding risk, Thromboembolism and Neutropenia.
• Antipsychotics: risk of Neutropenia.
• Mood Stabilizers: risk of Neutropenia.

(4) DRUG-DRUG INTERACTIONS: COVID-19 Medications & Psychotropics:

High-Risk, Moderate-Risk and Low-Risk Antipsychotics, Antidepressants, Mood Stabilizers and Benzodiazepines with:

• Hydroxychloroquine
• Remdesivir
• Lopinavir / Ritonavir
• Azithromycin

(5) PSYCHOTROPICS MONITORING: During COVID-19:

(a) Lithium:

• Lithium monitoring during COVID-19: for normal and at-risk patients.

(b) Clozapine:

• ANC monitoring during COVID-19.
• When to reduce the frequency of ANC monitoring?
• If patient develops an infection on clozapine.
• Monitoring protocol if clozapine toxicity develops.