Cardiometabolic comorbidity in antipsychotic treated patients: need for systematic evaluation and treatment

AbstractObjective. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of cardiometabolic dysregulations and their somatic treatment regimens in a group of psychiatric patients treated with antipsychotics. Methods. In a naturalistic cohort study, baseline cardiometabolic parameters were measured in 543 outpatients. After one year, a second assessment was performed in 220 patients out of the total sample. In addition, it was investigated whether in patients with somatic comorbidities adequate treatment was prescribed. Results. In this cohort, about half of the patients fulfilled the criteria for metabolic syndrome. Only a limited number of patients, however, received pharmacologic treatment for individual risk factors: About 19% for hypercholesterolemia, 26% for hypertension, and 52% for diabetes. Non-treated patients were significantly younger than treated patients. Follow-up data show that the course of the cardiometabolic parameters can be dynamic. Conclusions. Cardiometabolic risk factors are highly p...