Abstract

CROSS SECTIONAL OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND COMORBIDITY AMONG PATIENTS ON ANTIPSYCHOTICS

Hossein Najmaddini*, Charan C. S. and Vanendra Yadav S.

ABSTRACT

Psychosis, specifically schizophrenia, is a serious psychiatric illness that affects multiple cognitive processes, such as emotions, thoughts, habits and only 30% of schizophrenic patients display significant progress with antipsychotic treatment. Antipsychotic medications are commonly used to manage psychotic signs across a wide range of psychopathological disorders. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional observational study which was carried for a period of 6 months in Mysore community a total of 103 patients were enrolled in the study as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients demographics data and comorbidity were collected using data collection form were assessed by using questionnaire. Results: Out of 103 patients, we found that the male patients were 57%, female 43%. The mean age of sample was 48.05 years (±15.79). Of these patients, 57% were never married, 62% were unskilled, 57% were Illiterate, 57% of the patients were found to be regular smokers and male gender 76.2% of the total population had the habit of smoking. Majority of patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia 86%. We found that the comorbidity in patients are hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stroke, seizure. Conclusion: The results of this study agree with the existing evidence on comorbidity within the particular community of patients with schizophrenia and other psychiatric illness. This is significant, when prescribing atypical antipsychotics, for clinicians to be aware of the potential changes in cardiovascular risk factors and other comorbidities. Schizophrenia prevalence is higher than other mental conditions and is seen more in the elderly and middle aged relative to the younger ones.

Keywords: Antipsychotic, Clinical characteristic, Comorbidity, Schizophrenia.