Severe Tachycardia Associated with Psychotropic Medications in Psychiatric Inpatients: A Study of Hospital Medical Emergency Team Activation.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Lim AKH
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8038822 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:ObjectivesReliable information on preadmission medications is essential for inpatients with dementia, but its quality has hardly been evaluated. We assessed the completeness of information and factors associated with incomplete recording.MethodsWe compared preadmission medications recorded in hospital electronic medical records (EMRs) with community-pharmacy dispensations in hospitalizations with discharge code for dementia at the University Hospital of Udine, Italy, 2012-2014. We calculated: (a) prevalence of omissions (dispensed medication not recorded in EMRs), additions (medication recorded in EMRs not dispensed), and discrepancies (any omission or addition); (b) multivariable logistic regression odds ratio, with 95% confidence interval (95% CI), of ≥1 omission.ResultsAmong 2,777 hospitalizations, 86.1% had ≥1 discrepancy for any medication (Kappa 0.10) and 33.4% for psychotropics. When psychotropics were recorded in EMR, antipsychotics were added in 71.9% (antidepressants: 29.2%, antidementia agents: 48.2%); when dispensed, antipsychotics were omitted in 54.4% (antidepressants: 52.7%, antidementia agents: 41.5%). Omissions were 92% and twice more likely in patients taking 5 to 9 and ≥10 medications (vs. 0 to 4), 17% in patients with psychiatric disturbances (vs. none), and 41% with emergency admission (vs. planned).ConclusionPsychotropics, commonly used in dementia, were often incompletely recorded. To enhance information completeness, both EMRs and dispensations should be used.
| S-EPMC7133096 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Individuals with severe psychiatric disorders have a reduced life expectancy compared to the general population. At the biological level, patients with these disorders present features that suggest the involvement of accelerated aging, such as increased circulating inflammatory markers and shorter telomere length (TL). To date, the role of the interplay between inflammation and telomere dynamics in the pathophysiology of severe psychiatric disorders has been scarcely investigated. In this study we measured T-lymphocytes TL with quantitative fluorescent in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) and plasma levels of inflammatory markers in a cohort comprised of 40 patients with bipolar disorder (BD), 41 with schizophrenia (SZ), 37 with major depressive disorder (MDD), and 36 non-psychiatric controls (NPC). TL was shorter in SZ and in MDD compared to NPC, while it was longer in BD (model F6, 137 = 20.128, p = 8.73 × 10-17, effect of diagnosis, F3 = 31.870; p = 1.08 × 10-15). There was no effect of the different classes of psychotropic medications, while duration of treatment with mood stabilizers was associated with longer TL (Partial correlation controlled for age and BMI: correlation coefficient = 0.451; p = 0.001). Levels of high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) were higher in SZ compared to NPC (adjusted p = 0.027), and inversely correlated with TL in the whole sample (r = -0.180; p = 0.042). Compared to NPC, patients with treatment resistant (TR) SZ had shorter TL (p = 0.001), while patients with TR MDD had higher levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) compared to NPC (p = 0.028) and to non-TR (p = 0.039). Comorbidity with cardio-metabolic disorders did not influence the observed differences in TL, hsCRP, and TNFα among the diagnostic groups. Our study suggests that patients with severe psychiatric disorders present reduced TL and increased inflammation.
| S-EPMC7784910 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Objectives and outcomesTo evaluate the 24hrs before medical emergency team (MET) calls to examine: 1) the frequency, nature, and timing of pre-MET criteria breaches; 2) differences in characteristics and outcomes between patients who did and didn't experience pre-MET breaches.DesignRetrospective observational study November 2020-June 2021.SettingTertiary referral Australian hospital.ParticipantsAdults (≥18 years) experiencing MET calls.ResultsBreaches in pre-MET criteria occurred prior to 1886/2255 (83.6%) MET calls, and 1038/1281 (81.0%) of the first MET calls. Patients with pre-MET breaches were older (median [IQR] 72 [57-81] vs 66 [56-77] yrs), more likely to be admitted from home (87.8% vs 81.9%) and via the emergency department (73.0% vs 50.2%), but less likely to be for full resuscitation after (67.3% vs 76.5%) the MET. The three most common pre-MET breaches were low SpO2 (48.0%), high pulse rate (39.8%), and low systolic blood pressure (29.0%) which were present for a median (IQR) of 15.4 (7.5-20.8), 13.2 (4.3-21.0), and 12.6 (3.5-20.1) hrs before the MET call, respectively. Patients with pre-MET breaches were more likely to need intensive care admission within 24 h (15.6 vs 11.9%), have repeat MET calls (33.3 vs 24.7%), and die in hospital (15.8 vs 9.9%).ConclusionsFour-fifths of MET calls were preceded by pre-MET criteria breaches, which were present for many hours. Such patients were older, had more limits of treatment, and experienced worse outcomes. There is a need to improve goals of care documentation and pre-MET management of clinical deterioration.
| S-EPMC10790013 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveShortened life expectancy of people with mental disorders has been attributed to medical comorbidities, yet these conditions remain under-recognized and under-treated. This study characterizes the medical demands placed on inpatient psychiatric units to help guide medical assessment and management practices in these settings.MethodsMedicaid claims records and clinician data were linked with hospital and regional data for individuals with a principal diagnosis of any mental disorder admitted to psychiatric inpatient units in New York State from 2012 to 2013. A modified Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI) score was calculated for each unique individual (n = 14,458). Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of having a medical comorbidity were calculated using logistic regression analyses.Results74.9% of psychiatric inpatients had at least one medical comorbidity, including 57.5% of people ages 18-24. Higher rates of medical comorbidity were associated with older age, female gender, non-schizophrenia diagnoses, and engagement in care prior to hospitalization. Patients with medical comorbidities had lower odds (AOR 0.54; 99% CI 0.35-0.83) of being treated in hospitals with 100 or more total beds compared to smaller hospitals.ConclusionsA high prevalence of common medical diagnoses among psychiatric inpatients underscores the importance of adequate detection and medical treatment of medical comorbidities in psychiatric inpatient settings.
| S-EPMC8684817 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeThis study aimed to determine if sequential deployment of a nurse-led Rapid Response Team (RRT) and an intensivist-led Medical Emergency Team (MET) for critically ill patients in the Emergency Department (ED) and acute care wards improved hospital-wide cardiac arrest rates.MethodsIn this single-center, retrospective observational cohort study, we compared the cardiac arrest rates per 1000 patient-days during two time periods. Our hospital instituted a nurse-led RRT in 2012 and added an intensivist-led MET in 2014. We compared the cardiac arrest rates during the nurse-led RRT period and the combined RRT-MET period. With the sequential approach, nurse-led RRT evaluated and managed rapid response calls in acute care wards and if required escalated care and co-managed with an intensivist-led MET. We specifically compared the rates of pulseless electrical activity (PEA) in the two periods. We also looked at the cardiac arrest rates in the ED as RRT-MET co-managed patients with the ED team.ResultsHospital-wide cardiac arrests decreased from 2.2 events per 1000 patient-days in the nurse-led RRT period to 0.8 events per 1000 patient-days in the combined RRT and MET period (p-value = 0.001). Hospital-wide PEA arrests and shockable rhythms both decreased significantly. PEA rhythms significantly decreased in acute care wards and the ED.ConclusionImplementing an intensivist-led MET-RRT significantly decreased the overall cardiac arrest rate relative to the rate under a nurse-led RRT model. Additional MET capabilities and early initiation of advanced, time-sensitive therapies likely had the most impact.
| S-EPMC7707602 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionWhile teams are a central component in health care, many professionals who function in them have had little, if any, formal training on how to develop an effective team. Medical educators and trainers have used many different approaches to teach the basic skills and knowledge of team effectiveness and how team members can best interact with each other. To make team training more realistic, experiential exercises have been used. One of the more popular categories of experiential activities is survival exercises in which team members are given a scenario and required to make decisions that ultimately decide whether the team survives the ordeal.MethodsThis activity describes a situation in which a medical professional is traveling on an airliner when a request for medical assistance occurs. Participants can include clinically experienced medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty physicians. The activity can be used as a stand-alone exercise or in conjunction with another team topic, such as communications or decision making. It has also been effective as an icebreaker for teams working together during a workshop.ResultsApproximately 100 medical students, residents, and faculty from anesthesia, family medicine, pediatrics, and internal medicine have participated in this activity. It has been very well received and generated a great deal of discussion of both medical knowledge and team-building skills.DiscussionThis activity, which can be used to examine team communications, decision making, leadership, and conflict management, is suitable for health care professionals either through intra- or interprofessional training.
| S-EPMC6342154 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundDespite safety-related concerns, psychotropic medications are frequently prescribed to manage behavioural symptoms in older adults, particularly those with dementia. We assessed the comparative safety of different classes of psychotropic medications used in nursing home residents.MethodsWe identified a cohort of patients who were aged 65 years or older and had initiated treatment with psychotropics after admission to a nursing home in British Columbia between 1996 and 2006. We used proportional hazards models to compare rates of death and rates of hospital admissions for medical events within 180 days after treatment initiation. We used propensity-score adjustments to control for confounders.ResultsOf 10,900 patients admitted to nursing homes, atypical antipsychotics were initiated by 1942, conventional antipsychotics by 1902, antidepressants by 2169 and benzodiazepines by 4887. Compared with users of atypical antipsychotics, users of conventional antipsychotics and antidepressants had an increased risk of death (rate ratio [RR] 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.91 for conventional antipsychotics and RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.96-1.50 for antidepressants), and an increased risk of femur fracture (RR 1.61, 95% CI 1.03-2.51 for conventional antipsychotics and RR 1.29, 95% CI 0.86-1.94 for antidepressants). Users of benzodiazepines had a higher risk of death (RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.04-1.58) compared with users of atypical antipsychotics. The RR for heart failure was 1.54 (95% CI 0.89-2.67), and for pneumonia it was 0.85 (95% CI 0.56-1.31).InterpretationAmong older patients admitted to nursing homes, the risks of death and femur fracture associated with conventional antipsychotics, antidepressants and benzodiazepines are comparable to or greater than the risks associated with atypical antipsychotics. Clinicians should weigh these risks against the potential benefits when making prescribing decisions.
| S-EPMC3080558 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesMedical emergencies in psychiatric inpatients are challenging due to the model of care and limited medical resources. The study aims were to determine the triggers and outcomes of a medical emergency team (MET) call in psychiatric wards, and the risk factors for MET activation and mortality.DesignRetrospective multisite cohort study.SettingPsychiatry units colocated with acute medical services at three major metropolitan hospitals in Melbourne, Australia.ParticipantsWe studied 487 adult inpatients who experienced a total of 721 MET calls between January 2015 and January 2020. Patients were relatively young (mean age, 45 years) and had few medical comorbidities, but a high prevalence of smoking, excessive alcohol intake and illicit drug use.Outcome measuresWe performed a descriptive analysis of the triggers and outcomes (transfer rates, investigations, final diagnosis) of MET calls. We used logistic regression to determine the factors associated with the primary outcome of inpatient mortality, and the secondary outcome of the need for specific medical treatment compared with simple observation.ResultsThe most common MET triggers were a reduced Glasgow Coma Scale, tachycardia and hypotension, and 49% of patients required transfer. The most frequent diagnosis was a drug adverse effect or toxidrome, followed by infection and dehydration. There was a strong association between a leave of absence and MET calls, tachycardia and the final diagnosis of drug adverse effects. Mortality occurred in 3% after MET calls. Several baseline and MET clinical variables were associated with mortality but a model with age (per 10 years, OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.01) and hypoxia (OR 3.59, 95% CI 1.43 to 9.04) independently predicted mortality.ConclusionVigilance is required in patients returning from day leave, and drug adverse effects remain a challenging problem in psychiatric units. Hypoxic older patients with cardiovascular comorbidity have a higher risk of death.
| S-EPMC8499333 | biostudies-literature
Project description:INTRODUCTION: Most literature on the medical emergency team (MET) relates to its effects on patient outcome. Less information exists on the most common causes of MET calls or on possible approaches to their management. METHODS: We reviewed the calling criteria and clinical causes of 400 MET calls in a teaching hospital. We propose a set of minimum standards for managing a MET review and developed an approach for managing common problems encountered during MET calls. RESULTS: The underlying reasons for initiating MET calls were hypoxia (41%), hypotension (28%), altered conscious state (23%), tachycardia (19%), increased respiratory rate (14%) and oliguria (8%). Infection, pulmonary oedema, and arrhythmias featured as prominent causes of all triggers for MET calls. The proposed minimum requirements for managing a MET review included determining the cause of the deterioration, documenting the events surrounding the MET, establishing a medical plan and ongoing medical follow-up, and discussing the case with the intensivist if certain criteria were fulfilled. A systematic approach to managing episodes of MET review was developed based on the acronym 'A to G': ask and assess; begin basic investigations and resuscitation, call for help if needed, discuss, decide, and document, explain aetiology and management, follow-up, and graciously thank staff. This approach was then adapted to provide a management plan for episodes of tachycardia, hypotension, hypoxia and dyspnoea, reduced urinary output, and altered conscious state. CONCLUSION: A suggested approach permits audit and standardization of the management of MET calls and provides an educational framework for the management of acutely unwell ward patients. Further evaluation and validation of the approach are required.
| S-EPMC1550805 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundVarious psychotropic prescription drugs are known to have potential for misuse. Among teenagers, non-medical use of prescription drugs may predate illicit drug use or occur concomitantly.AimsOur aim was to examine prescriptions of psychotropic medications among drug crime offenders and non-criminal controls in a psychiatric inpatient cohort of 13-17-year-olds. Our research question was: were prescribed psychotropic and potentially addictive drugs associated with later drug crime offending.MethodsOur sample was of all 60 adolescents who had been convicted of a drug crime by young adulthood with a twice-sized control group, matched for gender, age and family-type, from a cohort of 508 adolescents consecutively admitted to a psychiatric inpatient care in Finland between April 2001 and March 2006. Adolescence-related information on substance use and psychiatric disorders was obtained by semi-structured interviews. Follow-up information on crimes and medication purchases was obtained from Finnish nationwide registers. The association of studied factors to drug crime offending was examined using stepwise binary logistic regression analysis.Results75% of drug crime offenders and 47% of non-criminal controls had used addictive psychotropic medications during the follow-up period (p < 0.001). 74% of all drug crime offenders' purchases of prescribed addictive drugs occurred within the year preceding drug crimes. Of addictive drugs, the use of clonazepam and gabapentinoids was most likely to associate with drug crime offending (AOR 7.77, p < 0.001). Conduct and substance use disorders diagnosed in adolescence (AOR 3.49, p = 0.010; AOR 2.34, p = 0.050) were predictors for drug crime offending.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that, when treating young adults with conduct disorder and a history of substance use, physicians should prescribe addictive medications with caution, favouring instead non-addictive medications complemented by psychosocial interventions.
| S-EPMC9327718 | biostudies-literature