Assessment of metabolic risk factors in patients undergoing antipsychotic drug therapy: A Pharmacist-led study

Summary Introduction The drugs used to treat psychiatric illnesses are known as antipsychotics. Antipsychotics have a higher incidence of adverse drug reactions including extrapyramidal side effects and several other metabolic disorders. The main objective of the study is to assess the changes in anthropometric parameters of metabolic risk in patients with severe mental disorders initiated with antipsychotic drug therapy. Materials and methods A prospective observational study was carried out in the psychiatric inpatient unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital for eight months. Eligible patients were enrolled and their baseline and follow-up anthropometric measurements such as body weight, body mass index (BMI), fat index, and waist-hip ratio were taken before and after six weeks of therapy. The changes were documented and analyzed. Results and Discussion The most commonly prescribed antipsychotics were olanzapine, clozapine, risperidone and quetiapine. A considerable mean increase in the body weight of 4.5 kg with a mean increase in body mass index of 1.7 kg/m2, percentage body fat of 1.84% and the waist-hip ratio of 0.027 was observed among patients treated with olanzapine. Similarly, patients who were prescribed with clozapine also revealed a significant increase in the mean body weight of 4.7 kg, an increase in BMI of 1.75 kg/m2, 0.07 of waist-hip ratio and a percentage body fat of 1.4%. On analysis, patients treated with quetiapine and risperidone also showed significant changes in the anthropometric parameters. Conclusion The overall comparison and statistical analysis of different anthropometric parameters suggest that the changes observed within the parameters were a result of antipsychotic drug therapy.