Hyperprolactinemia in patients on antipsychotic drugs causes ADP-stimulated platelet activation that might explain the increased risk for venous thromboembolism: pilot study.

Recently, an increased risk of venous thromboembolism in patients on antipsychotic drugs has been reported, but the molecular etiology is still unknown. Most antipsychotic drugs act as dopamine antagonists, and some of them cause hyperprolactinemia. Hyperprolactinemia has recently been found to cause increased platelet activation via potentiating ADP effects on human platelets.