ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Psichiatrica 2004 March;45(1):37-42

Copyright © 2004 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Cardiovascular risk factors clustering and management in a wide population of psychiatric patients. A pharmacoepidemiology report

Cicero A. F. G., De Rosa G., Forghieri M., Cipressi F., Arletti R.

Aim. The most recent European guidelines for coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention acknowledges that mood level has a significant relevance as risk factor for CAD. The main aim of this preliminary report is to evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile of a large population of Italian serious psychiatric subjects.
Methods. The psychiatric patients health status study (PPHSS) is a transversal study on the general health condition of 1 590 Caucasic serious psychiatric patients. We sampled information about their familial and personal clinical history with special attention to the drug use, and carried out a medical visit with blood pressure measurement and routine laboratory exams (among which fasting glycaemia and plasma lipid pattern).
Results. Beyond other no pharmacologically modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, we observed a 40% of hypertensive patients (almost 50% with controlled blood pressure values), a 6.5% of diabetics or glucose intolerant among (78% with uncontrolled basal glucose level) and a 40% of hyperlipoproteinaemic subjects (98% of them has uncontrolled plasma lipid levels). Eighteen percent of men and 14% of women accounts more than 1 pharmacologically treatable cardiovascular risk factor.
Conclusion. Hypertension, dyslipidaemia and diabetes are not adequately treated in severe psychiatric patients.