Publications by authors named "Nora AlFakhri"
Objective: Even though all guidelines recommend generally against antipsychotic polypharmacy, antipsychotic polypharmacy appears to be a very common practice across the globe. This study aimed to examine the prescription patterns of antipsychotics in Qatar, in comparison with the international guidelines, and to scrutinize the sociodemographic and clinical features associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy.
Methods: All the medical records of all the inpatients and outpatients treated by antipsychotics at the Department of Psychiatry-Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Doha, Qatar (between October 2012 and April 2014) were retrospectively analyzed.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigated how first-generation (FGA) and second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) affect metabolic syndrome risk factors in mentally ill patients in Qatar, focusing on adherence to prescription guidelines and monitoring.
- Data from 439 patients revealed that those on SGAs displayed higher rates of obesity, elevated blood pressure, and increased triglycerides compared to those on FGAs, indicating worse metabolic health.
- The findings highlighted a high prevalence of metabolic issues, particularly among SGA users, with concerns about polypharmacy and inadequate monitoring of metabolic health, suggesting the need for more prospective studies to improve patient care.