Influence of the use of atypical antipsychotics in metabolic syndrome

OBJECTIVES

To describe the possible relationship between the use of antipsychotic drugs and the presence of metabolic syndrome. Other objectives are to list the main side effects of antipsychotic treatment, and to determine if there is any pharmacological treatment that can contribute towards counteracting metabolic syndrome.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A narrative bibliographic review was carried out of the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, IBECS, LILACS and HealthCare. Preference in the selection process was given to clinical trials and systematic review articles or review articles and some articles that were considered relevant because of their content. The time period was limited to between January 2014 and November 2019. The languages were English and Spanish. Repeated articles and those that were not related to the objectives were rejected. The search criteria were: "antipsychotic AND metabolic syndrome"; "schizophrenia AND metabolic syndrome"; "bipolar disorder AND metabolic syndrome"; "metabolic syndrome AND suicide NOT disorder"; "metabolic syndrome AND prisons"; "metabolic syndrome AND prolactin".

RESULTS

24 articles were selected out of the 510 that were consulted. The relationship between atypical antipsychotics and metabolic syndrome was evident. Other anticholinergic, antidopaminergic effects, extrapyramidal syndromes, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, hypotension, arrhythmias, sedation, hypovitaminosis D, increased prolactin, sexual dysfunction, sleep disturbances, etc. are also highlighted. Pharmacological associations with other drugs were also found.

DISCUSSION

There is a relationship between the use of atypical antipsychotics and weight gain, lipid disorders, glucose and high blood pressure. There are some associated drugs that decrease some symptoms (ranitidine, topiramate, metformin, melatonin, modafinil). Patients taking this type of medication should be monitored and encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles.

Influence of parental smoking on the use of alcohol and illicit drugs among adolescents

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between parental smoking and the use of alcohol and illicit drugs among adolescent children.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study with 6,264 adolescents (59.7% female) aged between 14 and 19 years. To establish the sample, we used two-stage cluster random sampling. The data on parental smoking and use of cigarettes, alcohol and illicit drugs among adolescents were collected using a questionnaire.

RESULTS

Smoking adolescents were more prone to use alcohol (odds ratio - OR: 10.35; 95%CI: 7.85-13.65) and illicit drugs (OR: 11.75; 95%CI: 9.04-15.26) than non-smokers (p<0.001). Adolescents with at least one parent (OR: 1.4; 95%CI: 1.13-1.89) or both parents smoking (OR: 1.6; 95%CI: 1.01-2.67) were more likely to smoke when compared to those having no parents smoking. The adjusted analysis limited to non-smoking adolescents showed a positive association (p<0.05) between parental tobacco use and the use of alcohol (OR: 1.4; 95%CI: 1.23-1.62) and illicit drugs (OR: 1.6; 95%CI: 1.24-2.13), irrespective of age, sex, maternal schooling and place of residence.

CONCLUSION

Parental smoking was associated with the use of alcohol and other illicit drugs by adolescents, even among nonsmokers.

Condom use and drug consumption in migrants: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To identify condom use and drug consumption in migrants, as well as the association between these variables.

METHOD

A systematic search was carried out for articles published in Spanish and English (2017-2022), in PubMed, EBSCO, WEB of SCIENCE, Elsevier, Scielo, Redalyc, with eligible studies reporting on condom use and drug consumption, and their association.

RESULTS

The search strategy found 147 articles with the combination of terms and other sources. After excluding articles by title, abstract, and finding that they had the study variables, eight articles were included for qualitative analysis and only three met the criteria for quantitative analysis.

CONCLUSION

Drug consumption favors inconsistent condom use, increasing the risk of acquiring an STI, and can lead to other mental health issues derived from the use of these substances.

Risk factors associated with drug use before imprisonment in Peru

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence of drug abuse before prison admission and to identify associated sociodemographic and family history risk factors, according to gender, in prisons of Peru.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A secondary analysis was carried out with data from the First National Prisoner Census 2016, using a questionnaire of 173 items that was applied to the whole prison population of Peru. The types of drugs used before admission were analyzed according to characteristics of the penitentiary population, and generalized linear models were used to calculate prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals to identify possible factors associated with drug use.

RESULTS

Out of a population of 76,180 prisoners, 71,184 (93.4%) answered the survey (men 67,071, 94.2%). The overall prevalence of drug consumption before admission was 24.4% (25.3 % in men and 9.1% in women), the highest prevalence in the 18-29 age group (36.3% in men and 14.9% in women). The most commonly used drugs were marijuana (58.2%), coca paste/cocaine or crack (40.3%) and inhalants (1%). The factors most strongly associated with consumption were having a family member who consumed drugs (59.8%), history of previous imprisonment (59.1%), unemployment (48.4%), relationships at school with classmates who had problems with the law (46.9%), background of a family member who attended a penitentiary (38.4%), and history of running away from home before age 15 (35.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

In Peru, drug use is higher in the prison population than in the general population, and there are differences according to sex in the prevalence of drug use and associated factors prior to admission to a prison. The study demonstrated that childhood events, such as child abuse, having a family member imprisoned, having a family member who used drugs, or who previously abused alcohol, are factors associated with drug use in the penitentiary population. Some of these risk factors are modifiable, so it is important to consider these in the design of social and health policies focused on specific subpopulations to prevent drug use and crime.

Evaluation of the impact of family relations on prisoners' health in Spain

OBJECTIVES

Literature on this issue has shown a high prevalence of alcohol and other drug use in the prison population. Although many risk factors have been linked to this behavior in prison, it is not common to find research that analyses the influence of family/social contact in prison.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A cross-sectional study was carried out on 2,709 inmates (2,484 men and 225 women) in 9 prisons in Spain, data was collected through self-report questionnaires, including information at socio-demographic level, family-social contact and use of alcohol and other drugs in the last month in prison.

RESULTS

Inmates with no family contact in prison show a higher prevalence of use for all the substances analyzed, binary logistic regression analysis shows statistically significant associations with the use of cannabis (OR: 1.86, p ≤0.001) or cocaine (OR: 3.40, p ≤0.001) in prison.

DISCUSSION

More knowledge about this public health problem amongst social workers in the prison environment could be an effective diagnostic and preventive tool for reducing the use of alcohol and other drugs during imprisonment.

Factors associated with risk related to the use of psychoactive substances by men deprived of their liberty

Objective:

to evaluate the factors associated with risk related to the use of psychoactive substances in male inmates of a prison in a city in the South of Brazil.

Method:

a cross-sectional data from 220 men deprived of liberty, inmates of a provisional custody institution in the State of Paraná, collected with a screening instrument and questionnaire. Binary logistic regression and odds ratio analysis were used to verify associations between risk related to substance use and socio-demographic characteristics of living conditions before incarceration and current incarceration.

Results:

the adjusted model revealed association of consumption with skin color brown/black and yellow, those who had only one parent responsible until age 15, age at first arrest 18 or older, professing religion, working before arrest, owning their own house, living alone, receiving visitors in prison.

Conclusion:

the identified factors are useful to insert effective treatment proposals and reduce the gaps and social vulnerability existing in prison.

[The symbolic value of drug use for ill-housed people: drug that kills and nourishes]

Drugs have been consumed since ancient times, and their taboo has generated segregation and hindered the proper confrontation of harmful use. This study investigated the real and symbolic values of drug use for ill-housed people beyond pathologization, seeking to understand factors that hinder giving them up, even with intense losses and suffering. It also aimed to understand its implications for health care. This is a phenomenological qualitative research based on participant observation of ill-housed people care provided by the Street Clinic, interviews with ill-housed people and focus group with professionals from the Health Care Network in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil, between March 2017 and July 2019. Results showed that "drug use" interacted with the research categories as follows: drugs are the main reason for living and staying on the streets; drugs motivate having financial activity; drugs cause abandonment of health treatment; drugs soothe and cause depression, suffering and hunger; drugs make them seek shelter and religion to "escape" using, but without adequate treatment hope leads to relapse and low self-esteem - which one want to get rid of, but few successes undermine hope. As expected, it is the reason for divergences among professionals regarding the type of care and support for ill-housed people. Given the results, how can we face abusive use that relieves hunger, loneliness, suffering and depression? How to take care of a use that generates hunger, depression, affective, health and self-esteem losses? A cyclical story told by people in situations of extreme vulnerability. Unveiling the symbolic plurality of drug use enables reflections and new ways of caring for ill-housed people.