Sara Fernández Guijarro1, Carolina Miguel García2, Edith Pomarol-Clotet3, Elena Nunilón Egea López4, Maria Dolors Burjales Martí5, Maria Assumpta Rigol Cuadra6. 1. Sara Fernández Guijarro, RN, MHN, Ramón y Cajal Hospital, Madrid, Spain. 2. Carolina Miguel García, RN, MHN, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. 3. Edith Pomarol-Clotet, MD, PhD, FIDMAG Hermanas Hospitalarias Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain. 4. Elena Nunilón Egea López, RN, MHN, Murcia Health Service, Murcia, Spain. 5. Maria Dolors Burjales Martí, PhD, RN, MHN, Rovira i Virgili University, Tarragona, Spain. 6. Maria Assumpta Rigol Cuadra, PhD, RN, MHN, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The excess of mortality in people with severe mental illness is due to unnatural causes such as accidents or suicides and natural causes such as metabolic syndrome. The presence of modifiable risk factors like tobacco consumption increases cardiovascular and metabolic risk. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors in people with severe mental illness. This study also aimed to identify the prevalence of patients receiving treatment for any metabolic syndrome risk factor. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed. A total of 125 participants from two community mental health centers in Spain were recruited. RESULTS: More than half of the participants (58.4%) were active smokers. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 60%. A total of 16.8% received previous treatment for hypertension, 17.6% for hypertriglyceridemia, and 11.2% for diabetes. No differences were found between centers (22.7% vs. 18.7%, p = .9). CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscore the importance of monitoring the physical health of patients on antipsychotic therapy. The identification and management of cardiovascular and metabolic risks factors is an essential part of nursing care for people with severe mental illness. Mental health nurses are ideally positioned to carry out this task by performing physical health screening, health education, and lifestyle interventions.
BACKGROUND: The excess of mortality in people with severe mental illness is due to unnatural causes such as accidents or suicides and natural causes such as metabolic syndrome. The presence of modifiable risk factors like tobaccoconsumption increases cardiovascular and metabolic risk. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors in people with severe mental illness. This study also aimed to identify the prevalence of patients receiving treatment for any metabolic syndrome risk factor. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed. A total of 125 participants from two community mental health centers in Spain were recruited. RESULTS: More than half of the participants (58.4%) were active smokers. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 60%. A total of 16.8% received previous treatment for hypertension, 17.6% for hypertriglyceridemia, and 11.2% for diabetes. No differences were found between centers (22.7% vs. 18.7%, p = .9). CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscore the importance of monitoring the physical health of patients on antipsychotic therapy. The identification and management of cardiovascular and metabolic risks factors is an essential part of nursing care for people with severe mental illness. Mental health nurses are ideally positioned to carry out this task by performing physical health screening, health education, and lifestyle interventions.
Entities:
Keywords:
mental health nursing; metabolic syndrome; psychiatric nursing; screening; severe mental illness