Question

why is it imperative to monitor psychotic agents? Give examples of different types of monitoring?

Answer 1

Answer:

Psychiatric patients are are more vulnerable for somatic co morbidities and side effects of psychotropic medications.Monitoring practices ensure that, the problems are detected and treated in timely manner.The association between atypical antipsychotics and metabolic adverse effects is well established. Metabolic adverse effects including alteration in glucose metabolism( type 2 diabetis mellitis), lipid abnormalities( poor cardiovascular outcome), weight gain are of great concern of patient with antipsychotic treatment.An understanding of differences between metabolic risk with each antipsychotics may help in medication selection. so that the risk versus benefit can approriately evaluated and treatment adherence can be minimised.Some of the other side effects of these medications are, acute psychotic episode, extrapyramidal side effects, hyperprolactinemia, QTc prolongation, sexual dysfunction.

Different types of monitoring are,

Laborotary monitoring: patient using antipsychotics may experience elevation of blood glucose level. Medications like clonazepam, olanazipine can produce dyslipidemia. So the proper laborotory monitoring aid in identify the side effects and start treatment early.Checking serum drug level also plays an important role in ongoing treatment.

Cardiac monitoring: Risk is higher with higher dose of antidepressent and antipsychotic medication.medications like thioridazine, haloperidole, quetiapine, citalopram can make QTc prolongation.

Periodic monitoring: Periodic monitoring of body weight, baseline waist circomferance is importanant in patient with antipsychotic medication.Olanazipine, zotipine causes significantly more weight gain compared to other antipsychotics.