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Atypical antipsychotic monitoring: A survey of patient knowledge and experience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Larkin Feeney  and
Mary Mooney
Larkin Feeney
Affiliation:
St Vincent's Hospital Fairview, Dublin 3, Ireland
Mary Mooney
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny, Ireland
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Abstract

Objectives: To examine the knowledge and experiences of side-effects and their monitoring in patients prescribed atypical antipsychotic medications.

Methods: A tick box survey was designed to ask questions of patients prescribed atypical antipsychotic medications about side-effects and monitoring for them. This survey was distributed anonymously to all suitable outpatient attendees over a three month period who had been prescribed atypical antipsychotic medication for at least one year.

Results: Seventy-four of the 90 surveys (82%) distributed were returned complete. Fifty-six (76%) of those surveyed said they were currently experiencing side-effects. Twenty-two (39%) said they had not told their psychiatrist about the side-effects. Weight gain was most commonly complained of (49%). Forty-five (61%) said that they had had no monitoring blood tests in the past year. Fifty-one (69%) did not know that certain monitoring blood tests were recommended.

Conclusions: Patients prescribed atypical antipsychotic medications are not currently being monitored as best practice dictates. It cannot be assumed that GPs will pursue this monitoring. More resources are needed for mental health services so that adequate monitoring services can be provided.

Keywords

Atypical antipsychoticsmonitoringside-effectspsychiatry.
Type
Brief Reports
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 23 , Issue 3 , September 2006 , pp. 100 - 102
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

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