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Screening for the metabolic syndrome in patients receiving antipsychotic treatment: a proposed algorithm
Author(s) -
Waterreus Anna J,
Laugharne Jonathan D E
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2009.tb02344.x
Subject(s) - metabolic syndrome , medicine , confusion , antipsychotic , diabetes mellitus , intensive care medicine , obesity , disease , type 2 diabetes , algorithm , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychiatry , psychology , endocrinology , computer science , psychoanalysis
The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a well described cluster of interrelated risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The key components of MetS are central obesity, hypertension, hyperglycaemia and dyslipidaemia. The 2005 International Diabetes Federation (IDF) consensus definition of MetS aimed to reduce confusion over criteria for MetS and to provide a simple diagnostic and clinical tool. There is considerable evidence to show that patients prescribed antipsychotic drugs are at increased risk of developing MetS. Existing clinical guidelines for metabolic screening of patients taking antipsychotics focus on diabetes rather than on the broader syndrome of MetS and are not consistent with the IDF definition of MetS. Monitoring for MetS in patients taking antipsychotics (both inpatients and outpatients) is generally poor. We present a user‐friendly clinical algorithm and monitoring form, based on current evidence and using the IDF definition of MetS, to help clinicians in primary care or specialist settings to effectively monitor for MetS in these patients.