First clinical guideline for the management of antipsychotic induced dyslipidaemia published by PROGRESS group

People living with severe mental illness have a reduced life-expectancy by between 15-20years and cardiovascular disease is a major contributor to this early mortality. Abnormal cholesterol and other lipids (triglycerides) are a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease and can be a side-effect of antipsychotic medication. Testing for lipids levels is typically recommended in mid-life and therefore it is only around this time that any treatment is initiated. However, as mental health disorders can have their onset from late adolescence and early adulthood onwards, it can mean that dyslipidaemia can go untreated for years or even decades.

To address this, research led by UCD and St John of God University Hospital brought together a diverse group of experts including cardiologists, pharmacists, psychiatrists, general practitioners and people with lived experience of psychosis or caring for a family member with psychosis and developed a clinical guideline for the management of antipsychotic induced dyslipidaemia.

This guideline and article has been published by Schizophrenia Research and is free to download [here]. This guidelines was produced by the PROGRESS research group, the UCD Centre for Psychosis and the Research & Innovation hub in St John of God University Hospital and was funded by the Health Research Board. The guideline is also available in our resources/ guideline section of the website.