An update on lipid profile screening in second-generation antipsychotic users in the USA

Abstract

Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are commonly prescribed for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and other behavioral and neuropsychiatric conditions. Treatment with SGA medications can induce adverse metabolic side effects, including clinically significant weight gain, hyperglycemia/diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. Product labeling and medical guidelines recommend that patients be routinely monitored for weight gain and serum glucose and lipid abnormalities. This review provides an update on lipid profile screening for patients taking SGA medications. The review focuses primarily on evidence from the USA, including data on risk awareness, physician intent to screen patients and population-based estimates of testing rates. Patient, provider and system barriers to lipid screening are also discussed. Quality improvement examples are provided to illustrate the progress being made in improving metabolic screening of SGA users.

Key Words:

• antipsychotics
• dyslipidemia
• lipids
• risk management
• screening