Metabolic Adverse Events in Patients With Mental Illness Treated With Antipsychotics: A Primary Care Perspective

Background: Individuals with mental illness are at a higher risk of medical mortality than the general population, primarily due to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. There are a number of modifiable metabolic risk factors associated with some atypical antipsychotics that warrant careful monitoring and treatment in both psychiatric and primary care practice if the risk of cardiovascular disease is to be effectively reduced.

Data Sources: Previous guidelines have focused on awareness of metabolic risk factors in psychiatry, yet few articles have appeared in the primary care-focused journals. We present pragmatic guidelines that focus on monitoring metabolic abnormalities in primary care based on established guidelines, including joint recommendations of the American Diabetes Association, the American Psychiatric Association,the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, and the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, and the Mount Sinai conference.

Data Synthesis: All patients receiving atypical antipsychotic agents associated with metabolic adverse events should be routinely monitored for weight gain and abnormalities in blood glucose and lipid levels. Effective communication and collaboration between mental health and primary care services and better access to primary care screening and treatment for individuals with mental health problems are needed.

Conclusion: There is a clear need for awareness among primary care physicians, particularly as metabolic effects of atypical antipsychotics such as blood pressure and glucose and lipid levels are possibly best monitored in a primary care setting.