[Specific treatments of the psychiatric community and thrombogenesis]

The impact of antipsychotics as a risk factor for thromboembolism

Patients with schizophrenia are predisposed toward developing cardiovascular disease. Although neuroleptics affect the cardiovascular system, it is also important to consider the consequences of the disease itself such as lower physical activity due to living on disability pension, inadequate nutrition, and/or nicotine addiction, being more common among patients with schizophrenia versus the general population. All these factors combined lead to an increased risk of death caused by cardiovascular conditions in schizophrenic patients. Individuals receiving typical antipsychotic drugs have been reported to have elevated concentrations of antiphospholipid antibodies, including anticoagulants and anticardiolipin antibodies. The presence of both antibodies is associated with an increased risk for thromboembolism. It is also likely that mental illness is accompanied by increased procoagulant activity. Patients with acute psychosis have been shown to have a statistically significant increase in the concentrations of D-dimer, P-selectin, and in the expression of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors. Learning about causes and mechanisms of venous thromboembolism could help to reduce or neutralize the adverse effects of antipsychotic treatment and facilitate the identification of appropriate markers necessary to monitor changes and provide preventive care against hazardous and potentially fatal complications such as deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Before atypical neuroleptic treatment is administered to hospitalized patients, all possible risk factors for thromboembolism should be considered to allow the application of lower risk drugs. Also, other preventive measures should be taken into account, including hydration, compression stockings, regular exercise of lower extremities, and low-molecular-weight heparin injections.

Prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in physically restrained psychiatric patients

OBJECTIVE

We analysed the rate of physical restraint in acute and chronic psychiatric patients and looked at the safety of waiving venous thromboembolic disease (VTE) prophylaxis in the case of restraining of less than 24 h.

METHODS

We did a retrospective analysis of all episodes of restraining in 2012 and 2013, diagnosis of restrained patients, time of restraining and use of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) for prophylaxis of VTE associated with restraining.

RESULTS

Overall, 12 734 patients were hospitalised. The number of episodes of restraining was 1035 and involved 469 (7.4%) patients. Only 79 episodes of restraining lasted more than 24 h and affected only 36 (0.3%) individual patients. The most frequent psychiatric diagnoses were unstable borderline personality in 41 (52%) and schizophrenic or schizoaffective psychosis in 26 (33%) episodes. None of these prolonged restraints and none of the 956 episodes of restraining for less than 24 h were associated with clinical symptoms or signs of VTE that would have required additional diagnostic consequences.

CONCLUSION

The concept of waiving VTE prophylaxis within the first 24 h of restraining seems to be safe. On the other hand, LMWH sufficiently protected the small sample being restrained for more than 24 h.