Adverse Effects of Atypical Antipsychotic Agents and Their Effects on Quality of Life

Abstract

Patients receiving atypical antipsychotic drugs had a perceived high quality of life and were satisfied with a variety of aspects of their lives. However, metabolic disturbances had a significant, detrimental effect on patients' perceived quality of life.

Impact of Obesity on Health‐related Quality of Life in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

“…Our findings are consistent with limited research on obesity and/or weight gain in psychiatric patients, where excess weight has been described as distressing (15,44,45) and has been associated with decreased general quality of life, HRQOL, and life satisfaction (22,27,28).…”

“…In the only study to do so, obese outpatients with schizophrenia reported decreased HRQOL relative to their nonobese counterparts, particularly in the areas of physical functioning and general health (22). As in nonpsychiatric populations—where obesity is associated with profound decreases in physical functioning, social/interpersonal life, self‐esteem, mobility, energy, work, sexual life, and activities of daily living (23,24,25,26)—weight gain in psychiatric patients has been associated with decreased general quality of life and life satisfaction (27,28).…”

Preliminary data concerning the reliability and psychometric properties of the Greek translation of the 20-item Subjective Well-Being Under Neuroleptic Treatment Scale (SWN-20)

“…A study of 161 patients suffering from schizophrenia found that patients with side effects were less satisfied with life domains of subjective feelings and general activities than asymptomatic patients, and that QoL seems to be influenced by the patient's subjective response to side effects [ 18 ]. Patients receiving SGAs report a high perceived quality of life in various aspects of life, although metabolic disturbances seem to have a significant detrimental effect [ 19 ]. However, schizophrenic patients that, where switched from an SGA to a first-generation antipsychotic (FGA) for clinical reasons, reported no disadvantage concerning symptoms and quality of life over a 1-year period [ 20 ].…”

Subjective Quality of Life of Community Living Sudanese Psychiatric Patients: Comparison with Family Caregivers’ Impressions and Control Group

“…Of concern are the effects of psychopathology and lack of insight on the validity of self-ratings [4][5][6]; and the impact on QOL ratings, of the interviewer-interviewee relationship [7], the side effects of drugs (exptrapyramidal reactions-EPR, tardive dyskinesia-TD, and sexual dysfunction) [8][9][10], and treatment setting [11]. While the majority of the focus in this regard has been on schizophrenia, concern has also been expressed for the affective disorders, especially depression [6,[12][13][14].…”