Antipsychotics in Focus at Offshore Refresher

19 January 2012

To many pharmacists and GPs, antipsychotics are something of a mystery.

But for pharmacists attending the PSA offshore Refresher Conference this year, help is at hand.

Professor Andrew McLachlan, Education Director of the Refresher Conference, will present some simple rules to help understand the differences and similarities of the conventional and atypical antipsychotics.

It will be explained that the CATIE study showed there were no differences in symptom scores and quality-of-life measures between most antipsychotics; however there are differences between safety and tolerability and have a greater impact on therapy than any difference in efficacy.

Because of these substantial adverse effects, non-adherence is a common cause of treatment failure and pharmacists have an important role in assisting patients cope with the adverse affects including weight gain, hyperprolactinaemia, sedation or activation, anticholinergic effects plus recognising the symptoms of orthostatic hypotension and QT prolongation.

The PSA Offshore Refresher Conference 2012 is being held in the iconic city of Istanbul in late April where delegates have access to  45 group 2 accredited CPD points at presentations given by expert speakers on a wide range of therapeutic topics, professional issues and business trends.

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Antipsychotics in Focus at Offshore Refresher