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Screening for the metabolic syndrome in community psychiatric patients prescribed antipsychotics: a quality improvement programme
Article first published online: 28 JUN 2008
DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01203.x
Copyright © 2008 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2008 Blackwell Munksgaard
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How to Cite
Barnes, T. R. E., Paton, C., Hancock, E., Cavanagh, M.-R., Taylor, D., Lelliott, P. and on behalf of the UK Prescribing Observatory for Mental Health (2008), Screening for the metabolic syndrome in community psychiatric patients prescribed antipsychotics: a quality improvement programme. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 118: 26–33. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01203.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 28 JUN 2008
- Article first published online: 28 JUN 2008
- Accepted for publication April 3, 2008
- Abstract
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- Cited By
Keywords:
- metabolic syndrome;
- antipsychotics;
- screening
Objective: The aim was to evaluate a quality improvement programme designed to increase screening for the metabolic syndrome in community psychiatric patients prescribed antipsychotics.
Method: Baseline audit against evidence-based standards, followed by provision of benchmarked data and a range of change interventions, with re-audit 1 year later.
Results: At baseline, 48 assertive outreach teams across the UK submitted data on screening over the previous year for 1966 patients. At re-audit, 35 of the teams submitted data for 1516 patients. Screening for all four aspects of the metabolic syndrome (measuring blood pressure, obesity, blood glucose and plasma lipids) had increased significantly by re-audit. Clinical variables increasing the likelihood of full screening were clozapine treatment and a known diagnosis of diabetes or dyslipidaemia.
Conclusion: The programme’s success may be partly attributed to the use of a widely-accepted audit standard, and bespoke change interventions that directly addressed barriers to screening identified by the participating clinical teams.