A drug utilisation review of lithium at a public sector psychiatric hospital
- Authors: Mapfumo, Charlotte
- Date: 2020-04
- Subjects: Lithium -- Therapeutic use , Psychiatric hospitals -- South Africa -- Grahamstown , Drug utilization , Psychiatric hospital care , Manic-depressive illness , Lithium -- Toxicology , Drug monitoring
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , M.Pharm
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/150541 , vital:38983
- Description: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a common mental condition that affects about 60 million people globally. Lithium is among the drugs of choice used to treat BD and other affective disorders such as schizoaffective disorder (SD). Lithium is a mood stabiliser with antimanic, antidepressant and anti-suicidal properties. Lithium has complex mechanisms of action and a narrow therapeutic index (NTI). Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a vital component of lithium therapy due to its NTI. Lithium toxicity can occur at therapeutic levels and is characterised by symptoms such as blurred vision and convulsions. Lithium interacts with a number of drugs resulting in lithium toxicity or diminished effects of lithium. Symptoms of lithium toxicity range from abdominal pain, convulsions and death. Lithium use is associated with serious adverse effects on renal and thyroid function. Other adverse effects include tremor and weight gain. Monitoring of lithium serum levels, renal and thyroid function are therefore recommended for patients on lithium therapy. Monitoring of these parameters assists in the early detection of any problems associated with lithium use. The metabolic monitoring of lithium is vital due to the adverse effect profile of lithium and the current South African Standard Treatment Guidelines Hospital level: Adults, do not have any recommendations for the monitoring of metabolic parameters. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) may be used and adapted for the South African setting. Aim and Objectives: The general aim of the study was to conduct a drug utilisation review (DUR) on lithium through investigating its prescribing and monitoring patterns in both inpatients and outpatients at Fort England Hospital. Methodology: The study was in the form of a retrospective DUR. Data was collected from 40 files (n=40) of patients who were on treatment with lithium between 1 January 2017-31 December 2017 at Fort England Hospital. The data was collected retrospectively for both in- and outpatients. Compliance of the monitoring requirements with both South African and international guidelines was analysed. Results and Discussion: In 87.50% (n=37) of the cases, patients had been on lithium therapy before 2017 with most patients (n=13; 37.50%) being maintained on 500 mg of lithium. Non-compliance with the South African and NICE guidelines for renal baseline monitoring was 65.00% (n=26) in both guidelines. Non-compliance for baseline thyroid monitoring was 70.00% (n=28) for both guidelines. There was non-compliance in 45.00% (n=18) of the cases for lithium serum level monitoring for both guidelines. Non-compliance with follow-up renal monitoring was 47.50% (n=19) for both guidelines. Compliance with the NICE guidelines for follow-up metabolic monitoring was 67.50% (n=27). Conclusion: There was non-compliance in most cases leaving room for clinical improvement in the monitoring of lithium. Healthcare professionals should be educated on the recommended monitoring guidelines to promote the rational use of lithium in South Africa. Pharmacists should be more involved in the TDM of lithium to promote its safe and effective use.
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- Date Issued: 2020-04
Paediatric bipolar disorder and the lived experience of parents: a systematic review
- Authors: Stols, Gabriël Jacobus
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Manic-depressive illness , Depression, Mental
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6040 , vital:21033
- Description: Many international studies have been conducted on paediatric bipolar disorder, but few research studies have been conducted on parenting a child diagnosed with bipolar disorder, both on an international and national level. The researcher utilised Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory as the theoretical framework in exploring and describing this research field. The study has been conducted by means of a systematic review and all of the articles included in the review examined some aspect of parenting and paediatric bipolar disorder. The articles were systematically assessed, and six themes emerged which include: paediatric bipolar on the rise; the effects of paediatric bipolar disorder, post-paediatric bipolar disorder; managing paediatric bipolar disorder is a family responsibility; foundations for effective parenting; and supporting parents of a paediatric bipolar patient.
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- Date Issued: 2015