Check the effects: systematic assessment of antipsychotic side-effects in an inpatient cohort.
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Authors
Hynes, Caroline
McWilliams, Stephen
Clarke, Mark
Fitzgerald, Ita
Feeney, Larkin
Taylor, Mark
Boland, Fiona
Keating, Dolores
Issue Date
2020-09-25
Type
Journal Article
Language
en
Keywords
adherence , adverse effects , atypical antipsychotic agent , checklist , drug monitoring , questionnaire
Alternative Title
Abstract
Antipsychotics are associated with a range of side-effects that can influence patients' subjective well-being negatively resulting in poor adherence. In order to limit the negative consequences of side-effects, they should be regularly systematically assessed. The aim of this study was to systematically assess antipsychotic side-effects in an inpatient cohort using validated rating scales.
Eligible individuals prescribed an antipsychotic for at least 2 weeks were invited to have their side-effects assessed systematically.
A total of 208 individuals were assessed systematically for antipsychotic side-effects; 71.5% ( = 138) stated that they had not reported side-effects to their clinician prior to the assessment. The most commonly reported side-effects were daytime drowsiness (75%), dry mouth (58.2%) and weight gain (50.0%), while the most distressing side-effects reported were erectile dysfunction (35.0%), sexual dysfunction (26.3%) and amenorrhoea (26.3%). There was no evidence of an association between side-effect severity/number of side-effects reported/distress caused by those taking high dose/combination antipsychotics standard dose monotherapy.
Side-effects must be regularly and systematically assessed using a validated rating scale. As distress caused by side-effects plays a major role in non-adherence, assessment should examine distress and data on distressing side-effects should be available to those choosing an antipsychotic. Given the lack of correlation between high dose/combination antipsychotics and side-effects, treatment should be tailored to the individual based on response/tolerance and dose reduction/avoidance of polypharmacy should not be recommended to minimise side-effects.
Eligible individuals prescribed an antipsychotic for at least 2 weeks were invited to have their side-effects assessed systematically.
A total of 208 individuals were assessed systematically for antipsychotic side-effects; 71.5% ( = 138) stated that they had not reported side-effects to their clinician prior to the assessment. The most commonly reported side-effects were daytime drowsiness (75%), dry mouth (58.2%) and weight gain (50.0%), while the most distressing side-effects reported were erectile dysfunction (35.0%), sexual dysfunction (26.3%) and amenorrhoea (26.3%). There was no evidence of an association between side-effect severity/number of side-effects reported/distress caused by those taking high dose/combination antipsychotics standard dose monotherapy.
Side-effects must be regularly and systematically assessed using a validated rating scale. As distress caused by side-effects plays a major role in non-adherence, assessment should examine distress and data on distressing side-effects should be available to those choosing an antipsychotic. Given the lack of correlation between high dose/combination antipsychotics and side-effects, treatment should be tailored to the individual based on response/tolerance and dose reduction/avoidance of polypharmacy should not be recommended to minimise side-effects.
Description
Citation
Hynes, C., McWilliams, S., Clarke, M., Fitzgerald, I., Feeney, L., Taylor, M., Boland, F., & Keating, D. (2020). Check the effects: systematic assessment of antipsychotic side-effects in an inpatient cohort. Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology, 10, 2045125320957119. https://doi.org/10.1177/2045125320957119
Publisher
License
© The Author(s), 2020.
Journal
Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology
Volume
10
Issue
PubMed ID
ISSN
2045-1253