[Influence of psychotropic therapy on thrombogenesis and platelet functions. A propos of 4 cases of thromboembolic accidents occurring in patients treated by neuroleptics and antidepressants].

Thromboembolic complications secondary to psychiatric therapy are known but relatively rare. Four pulmonary embolisms happening in a few months' time in our services have lead us to reconsider the incidence of psychotropes on thrombogenesis, and more particularly on the aggregability of blood-platelets. We have found hyperaggregability curves for a significant number of cases in patients undergoing treatment in comparison with reference patients undergoing no treatment. We have tried to explain the difference in the results of works concerning the aggregability of blood-platelets and psychotropes by problems of dosage and of level of action of these medications and of their metabolites, the effects often oposite for a limit dose, the danger of extrapolating in vivo the results found in vitro, finally the complexity and numerous unknown elements in the working of aggregation of blood-platelets.