Psychiatrists failing to adequately monitor patients for metabolic side …
Psychiatrists failing to adequately monitor patients for metabolic side-effects of prescribed drugs
New research from the demonstrates that psychiatrists are not offering adequate checks for metabolic complications that are common in patients with mental ill health – especially those prescribed anti-psychotic medication.
Patients treated with anti-psychotic medication, especially those with schizophrenia, have a high rate of metabolic problems, for example up to 60% have lipid abnormalities, 40% have high blood pressure, and 30% suffer from the metabolic syndrome. Some estimate that 90% of patients treated with anti-psychotic medication have at least one metabolic risk factor. Given this, there are strong reasons why patients under psychiatric care should be offered regular monitoring.
Researchers from the in the UK, Kortenberg, Belgium and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York reviewed 48 studies (involving nearly 300,000 individuals) conducted between 2000-2011 in five countries. The work is published on-line this day (Wednesday August 10) in Psychological Medicine. The full paper can be viewed on-line at http://journals.cambridge.org/psm/Mitchell
The research found that only blood pressure and triglycerides were measured in more than half of patients who were under psychiatric care. Cholesterol, glucose and weight checks were offered to less than half. Monitoring was similar in US and UK studies and for both inpatients and outpatients.
Dr Alex Mitchell, a consultant psychiatrist with the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and a researcher at the , said: “This study highlights that psychiatrists are not always considering the metabolic complications of prescribed medication. Several guidelines highlight the need for regular medical checks (see Br J Psychiatry. 2011 Aug;199:99-105) but even after the release of guidelines, monitoring rates have remained low especially for those checks that need a blood test. Even in the most recent studies about a quarter of patients don’t receive weight or blood pressure checks. One explanation is that responsibility is often lost between psychiatry and general practice. We recommend that mental health providers schedule physical health checks as a mandatory part of routine care.”
More source:
Psychiatrists failing to adequately monitor patients for metabolic side ...Physical illness in patients with severe mental disorders. - NCBI - NIH
Consensus Development Conference on Antipsychotic Drugs and ...
Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with eating disorders
Random News
- Food Can lift Mood: Touring Herbal Remedy Guru Patrick Holford
- WMHS' new comedy horror is not one for plant phobics
- Lasco helps kids with asthma
- Warmer Winter Skips Flu Season
- Expectant moms prefer old methods
- Prostate cancer surgery helps younger men: study
- Animals seized from Lakeland home not ready for adoption
- On Campus, Around the Nation (4/26/2011)
- Fertiliser on farm blamed for parasites
- Photo: Contributed - Fox
Submited at Sunday, August 14th, 2011 at 1:00 pm on Uncategorized by ethan
Comment RSS 2.0 - leave a comment - trackback
