Monitoring for the metabolic side effects of second‐generation antipsychotic medications: Psychiatrists' views and practices

• Published in: Perspectives in psychiatric care Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 1237 - 1243
• Main Authors: Abdulhaq, Bayan, Dardas, Latefa A., Sami, Omar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison Hindawi Limited 01-07-2021
• Subjects: Antipsychotics; Best practice; Jordan; Knowledge; metabolic monitoring; Metabolism; Nursing; Patient safety; Psychiatric-mental health nursing; Psychiatrists; Psychotropic drugs; screening; second‐generation antipsychotics; Side effects; Jordan (country)
• ISSN: 0031-5990; 1744-6163
• DOI: 10.1111/ppc.12679

Purpose
The aims of this study were to explore (1) the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and adherence of psychiatrists in Jordan regarding published guidelines for metabolic monitoring of patients taking second‐generation antipsychotics (SGAs), and (2) their perceived barriers to metabolic screening.
Methods
The study utilized a cross‐sectional survey. Data were collected from 91 psychiatrists using a self‐administered questionnaire.
Findings
Almost 74% of psychiatrists reported they were aware of metabolic screening guidelines for patients taking SGA. However, the results of their assessment practices revealed a lack of adherence to these guidelines. Reported barriers to metabolic screening were the financial burden on the family and lack of family and patient compliance with recommendations of monitoring.
Practice Implications
Metabolic side effects of SGAs are important in Arab countries, where baseline levels of obesity and metabolic syndrome are already high in the general population. By virtue of their close proximity to patients, nurses are ideally placed to monitor how patients perceive SGAs and to provide information, advice, and counseling support.