The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and Framingham cardiovascular risk scores in adult inpatients taking antipsychotics - a retrospective medical records review.

BACKGROUND The objective of this retrospective records review was to evaluate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and Framingham cardiovascular risk scores in adult inpatients taking antipsychotics. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Hospital records of 62 patients (27 women and 35 men) taking antipsychotics were retrospectively reviewed for: body height and weight, waist circumference, cigarette smoking, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TGA), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), blood pressure, concomitant use of antidiabetic, antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic medications. RESULTS MetS was diagnosed in 29.0% (ATPIII), 35.5% (ATPIII A) and 41.9% (IDF) of patients. The prevalence of MetS components was: central obesity 50.0% (ATPIII and ATPIII A), 75.8% (IDF); hypertension 40.3% (ATPIII, ATPIII A and IDF); reduced HDL cholesterol 51.6% (ATPIII, ATPIII A and IDF); raised TGA 38.7% (ATPIII and ATPIII A), 41.9% (IDF); raised FPG 11.3% (ATPIII), 24.2% (ATPIII A) and 24.2% (IDF). Most of cardiovascular risk scores were higher in subjects with MetS. Mean BMI (28.4 kg/m2) and waist circumference (97.8 cm) were above cut-points for overweight and IDF-defined abdominal obesity. Mean total cholesterol (203.2 mg/dL) and TGA (159.1 mg/dL) levels were above upper limit of normal ranges. Overweight or obesity and abdominal obesity (more frequent in women: 88.9% vs. 65.7%; P=0.035) were found in 69.4% and 75.8% of the patients, respectively. Over 60% of subjects with hyperlipidemia (77.4% of the whole group) had no hypolipidemic therapy on discharge. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of MetS in subjects taking antipsychotics exceeds the prevalence in general population. Its presence increases the risk of cardiovascular events. Increased body weight and metabolic abnormalities were frequent in our group of patients (particularly in women) taking antipsychotics. Most patients with hyperlipidemia had no antihyperlipidemic introduced.