Bipolar Abstract of the Day:
Awareness of metabolic concerns in
patients with bipolar disorder: A survey of European psychiatrists
Michael Bauer, Yves
Lecrubier, Trisha Suppes
From the Department of
Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus,
Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Hôpital de la
Salpêtrière, Paris, France; and Bipolar Research Program, Department of
Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Objective: An online survey
of European psychiatrists assessed awareness of the metabolic syndrome
and its influence on the management of bipolar disorder.
Methods:
Psychiatrists in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy
were surveyed from April to June 2006. Eligibility criteria w ere 4–30
years in practice, ≥50% of time in direct patient care, had seen ≥10
bipolar patients in the preceding month. Aggregate data were weighted to
represent the practicing physician population per country.
Results:
Of 718 respondents, 56% had diagnosed metabolic syndrome. Respondents
reported that metabolic syndrome prevalence was higher in bipolar
patients (25%) than in the general population (20%). Seventy-two percent
felt that metabolic syndrome poses significant health risks, warranting
monitoring/treatment, and were most concerned with the bipolar
medication adverse effects of weight gain, cognitive impairment, and
glucose intolerance. Survey respondents recognized clear differences
among psychotropic agents in the propensity to induce metabolic adverse
effects. Sixty-five percent of respondents indicated that they had made
interviewing and monitoring changes in the past three years as a result
of metabolic concerns.
Conclusions: European psychiatrists view metabolic
syndrome as highly prevalent in the general population and in bipolar
patients; twothirds have changed their management of bipolar patients
because of metabolic health concerns.
Source: European
Psychiatry
2008; 23 (3): 169-177
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Other
bipolar Links:
Juvenile Bipolar
Research Foundation
Child and Adolescent
Bipolar Foundation
Depression
and Bipolar
Support
Alliance
NIMH Child
and Adolescent Mental Health
International Society for
Bipolar Disorders
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