Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring of Antipsychotic Drugs and Mood Stabilizers in a Teaching Hospital

Background: Antipsychotics and mood stabilizers are associated with adverse effects which can affect the compliance and course of treatment in mental disorders. The present study was therefore undertaken to monitor the adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of the antipsychotics and mood stabilizers in the psychiatric outpatient unit of our hospital. Methods: Study was conducted from December 2011 to November 2012, the patients on antipsychotic drugs from psychiatry outpatient department (OPD) of Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences were considered for analysis. The patients were diagnosed by consultant psychiatrist. Data was collected in standard questionnaire format. All patients diagnosed with psychiatric disorder as per ICD 10 criteria and receiving treatment with antipsychotic or mood stabilizer were included. Assessment of causality and severity of recorded adverse events was done using WHO assessment scale and modified Siegel and Hartwig Scale respectively. Results: 45 ADRs were recorded among 778 patients. Extra pyramidal symptoms, anticholinergic side effects and Weight gain were the most common ADRs. Risperidone, chlorpromazine and olanzapine were the drugs causing maximum ADRs. Assessment of causality and severity of recorded adverse events showed possible to probable and mild to moderately severe respectively. Conclusion: Extrapyramidal symptoms were most common ADRs in our study followed by anticholinergic side effects. Risperidone was most commonly prescribed drug followed by chlorpromazine. Risperidone and chlorpromazine accounted for most of ADRs. Assessment of causality of recorded adverse events showed no certain cause and Assessment of severity of recorded adverse events showed no severe cases.