Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice

Identification and management of adverse effects of antipsychotics in a tertiary care teaching hospital

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Jisha Myalil Lucca 1
. Ramesh Madhan 1
. Gurumurthy Parthasarathi 1
. Dushad Ram 2

1 Department of Pharmacy Practice, JSS University, Mysore, India

2 Department of Psychiatry, JSS Hospital, Mysore, India

Abstract

Objective: Antipsychotics have revolutionized psychiatry by allowing significant numbers 
of patients in long‑term hospital settings to be discharged and successfully maintained in the 
community. However, these medications are also associated with a range of adverse events 
ranging from mostly annoying to rarely dangerous. This study is carried out to identify the 
adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to antipsychotics and its management in psychiatric patients.
Methods: Prospective interventional study was conducted in the psychiatric unit of a tertiary 
care hospital. Patients of any age and either sex prescribed with at least one antipsychotic 
were included and monitored for ADRs.
Findings: Among the 517 patients receiving antipsychotics, a total of 289 ADRs were 
identified from 217 patients at an overall incidence rate of 41.97%. Sixty‑seven different 
kinds of ADRs were observed in the study patients. Central and peripheral nervous system 
was the most commonly affected system organ class (n = 59) and weight gain (n = 30) was 
the most commonly observed ADR. Olanzapine was most commonly implicated in reported 
ADRs(n = 92) followed by risperidone (n = 59). Of the 289 ADRs, 80% required interventions 
including cessation of drug and/or specific/symptomatic/nonpharmacological treatment.
Conclusion: This post marketing surveillance study provides a representative data of the 
ADR profile of the antipsychotics likely to be encountered in psychiatric patients in an 
Indian tertiary care hospital.

Keywords

Adverse drug reaction
psychotropic medication
treatment
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Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice
Volume 3, Issue 2
Spring 2014
Pages 46-50

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