People with severe mental health conditions have increased rates of premature deaths and reduced life span compared to the general population. Studies clearly indicated that the life expectancy of New Zealanders with severe mental illness (SMI) and addictions has considerably reduced by up to twenty-five years compared to the general population (Newcomer, 2007). Research clearly highlighted that cardio-metabolic factors have an enormous impact in contributing to a significant increase in mortality rates among these service users (SU) with SMI. Furthermore, studies pointed out that metabolic syndrome is one of the causative factors attributing to cardiovascular risk in this population group (Galletly et al., 2012). Metabolic syndrome is defined
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Moreover, SGAs, especially clozapine is also efficient in treating those SUs with schizophrenia, who are not responding to other anti-psychotic medications (Gage et al., 2015). It has been proven in clinical trials that those SUs using clozapine showed substantial improvement in their quality of life compared to those on haloperidol (Turner & Stewart, 2006). For example, in my clinical placement, a SU was admitted to our inpatient unit following a relapse from clozapine. His past history clearly shows, he was discharged on clozapine medication six years ago and had not had any inpatient admissions thereafter. He said he had been on clozapine medication and was able to maintain his job as a train conductor without any difficulty. He reported that he missed taking his medications as he lost them while moving his house and that apparently made him re-admit in the …show more content…
Studies clearly pointed that patients on clozapine medication are at risk of developing agranulocytosis, which means, depletion of white blood cells, resulting in risk of infections (Drew, 2013). Studies also suggest that SUs are at potential risk of developing cardiac complications such as myocarditis and pericarditis (Othman et al., 2014). For example, in my clinical setting, a 27-year-old Maori male with a diagnosis of schizophrenia started on clozapine treatment. After 4 weeks of treatment, he experienced tachycardia with a heart rate of 132 beats per minute and his temperature was elevated to 38.6°C. Doctors identified abnormalities in his electrocardiogram and he was sent to the emergency department for further investigation. The investigation revealed that he was diagnosed with myocarditis. Therefore, his consultant immediately stopped the clozapine treatment and looked for other pharmacological
Moreover, SGAs, especially clozapine is also efficient in treating those SUs with schizophrenia, who are not responding to other anti-psychotic medications (Gage et al., 2015). It has been proven in clinical trials that those SUs using clozapine showed substantial improvement in their quality of life compared to those on haloperidol (Turner & Stewart, 2006). For example, in my clinical placement, a SU was admitted to our inpatient unit following a relapse from clozapine. His past history clearly shows, he was discharged on clozapine medication six years ago and had not had any inpatient admissions thereafter. He said he had been on clozapine medication and was able to maintain his job as a train conductor without any difficulty. He reported that he missed taking his medications as he lost them while moving his house and that apparently made him re-admit in the …show more content…
Studies clearly pointed that patients on clozapine medication are at risk of developing agranulocytosis, which means, depletion of white blood cells, resulting in risk of infections (Drew, 2013). Studies also suggest that SUs are at potential risk of developing cardiac complications such as myocarditis and pericarditis (Othman et al., 2014). For example, in my clinical setting, a 27-year-old Maori male with a diagnosis of schizophrenia started on clozapine treatment. After 4 weeks of treatment, he experienced tachycardia with a heart rate of 132 beats per minute and his temperature was elevated to 38.6°C. Doctors identified abnormalities in his electrocardiogram and he was sent to the emergency department for further investigation. The investigation revealed that he was diagnosed with myocarditis. Therefore, his consultant immediately stopped the clozapine treatment and looked for other pharmacological