Pharmacist-led Interventions in Psychiatric Patients

Overview

The goal of this intervention study is to examine the impact of pharmacist-led interventions in psychiatric patients initiating second-generation antipsychotic treatment. The primary purpose is to assess the impact of intervention on antipsychotic induced metabolic outcomes, such as weight gain and other cardiometabolic risk markers, in patients aged 18 to 60 years who have been diagnosed with chronic mental disorder. Participants will be assigned to either the intervention or the control group. The intervention group will receive educational interventions from the pharmacist at baseline, after 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks along with the standard therapy prescribed by the psychiatrist. On the other hand, the control group will receive only the standard therapy with no intervention from the pharmacist.

Severe Mental Disorders (SMD) need long-term treatment with second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs). These disorders include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. Second-generation antipsychotics can control negative symptoms effectively as compared to first-generation antipsychotics. But they can cause metabolic effects such as weight gain, high cholesterol, and irregular blood sugar levels, which can lead to metabolic syndrome. Through pharmacist-led interventions, this study aims to see metabolic outcomes in those patients who are taking second-generation antipsychotics. International guidelines emphasize regular monitoring of these patients and their metabolic parameters and recommend appropriate lifestyle interventions. Adherence to these guidelines is often poor in many countries, including Pakistan. Pharmacists are essential members of multidisciplinary care teams. They can help to improve monitoring, counsel patients, and detect metabolic complications early. Despite this, their role in psychiatric care in Pakistan is still limited. To address this gap, the investigators will evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-led metabolic monitoring program combined with guidance on medication use and lifestyle interventions for patients on second-generation antipsychotics. This will be a single-center controlled interventional study conducted in psychiatric care settings. Eligible patients on long-term second-generation antipsychotics will be assigned to the intervention or control group using a predefined allocation method. The intervention group will receive monitoring of weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, and lipid profile alongwith guidance on medication use and personalized lifestyle counseling. The control group will receive only standard care according to hospital protocols. Data will be collected at the start and after 12 weeks. Metabolic outcomes and the effectiveness of pharmacist-led services will be analyzed. The investigators expect the intervention to reduce antipsychotic-related weight gain, improve lipid and glucose profiles, and further avoid life-threatening complications. This study will provide high-quality, locally relevant evidence. It aims to show that pharmacist involvement is feasible and can make antipsychotic treatment safer and more effective in Pakistan.