TY  - BOOK
AU  -  Byabato, Fortunata 
AU  -               Kongola, Gilbert
TI  -  Common Side Effects of Antipsychotics and their Management at Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza Tanzania
PY  - 2018///
CY  - Mwanza, Tanzania:  
PB  - Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS – Bugando] 
KW  -  
N2  - Abstract: 

Background: Antipsychotics are drugs which used to reduce psychotic symptoms in patients with mental illness. Side effects have been reported amongst patients on antipsychotics and they range from mild to severe.

Objective: To assess common side effects antipsychotics commonly prescribed at BMC and their management.

Method: Retrospective cross sectional hospital based study that consisted of 221 patients.

Results and discussion: 121 patients were male, 97 female and 3 their gender was not documented. Typical antipsychotics were prescribed to 218 patients (98.6%) while 3 patients (1.4%) were prescribed atypical antipsychotics. Major common side effects that occurred were akathisia (32.1%), drowsiness (24%) and insomnia (20.5%). Others were insomnia plus akathisia (5.9%), body tremors (4.5%), dizziness (2.7%), extrapyramidal symptoms (1.8%), Irregular menses, painful sex (1.4%), 0.9% (tar dative dyskinesia, body numbness plus akathisia), 0.5% (dystonia, body numbness, loss of libido, bradykinesia, muscle rigidity). 94 patients (42.5%) were managed by promethazine and 39 patients (17.6%) were on benzhezol. Others were prescribed congetin, neurotone, dose reduction or switched to atypical antipsychotics, psychotherapy, occupational therapy while 76 patients (34.4%) were not given any management.

Conclusion: Side effects which were encountered were mostly extrapyramidal symptoms. A large percent of the patients (34.4%) had side effects which were not managed. These patients were at risk of developing other medical complications. Management of side effects involved use of anticholinergics and therapy with atypical antipsychotics

ER  -