Antipsychotic medications and diabetes

When it comes to diabetes, improving the standard of patient care and patient outcomes is grounded in wellness: prevention, regularly scheduled screening, and effective care. Genetics, lifestyle, and medication are a confluence of factors, which impact metabolic health.¹ For patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who are prescribed an antipsychotic medication, the prevalence of developing diabetes is higher than that of the general population. If you are seeing an Empire BlueCross BlueShield HealthPlus member who is prescribed antipsychotic medication, specific protocols are required for a proper treatment plan. Based on best practice, members prescribed an antipsychotic should be administered a glucose test or an HbA1c test at least once a year to screen for diabetes. If screening indicates the member is diabetic, the member should be monitored for diabetes. In turn, patients being monitored for diabetes should receive an HbA1c test and an LDL-C test at least once a year. As the literature often states, a small change has a huge impact on managing diabetes or preventing it all together.² Screen, test, educate, and be the provider providing timely and effective diabetes care.

 

1 Holt RIG. Association Between Antipsychotic Medication Use and Diabetes. Curr Diab Rep. 2019 Sep 2;19(10):96. doi: 10.1007/s11892-019-1220-8. PMID: 31478094; PMCID: PMC6 Association Between Antipsychotic Medication Use and Diabetes | SpringerLink

2 Diabetes Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment | ADA

NYBCBS-CD-005108-22