ORCID
- Rohit Shankar: 0000-0002-1183-6933
Abstract
Introduction: Anticholinergic burden (ACB) is the cumulativeeffect of taking multiple medications with anticholinergic properties. ACB is associated with polypharmacy, increased comorbidity, and premature mortality in people with intellectualdisability (PwID). No clinical standards for ACB monitoring specific to PwID exist, particularly in psychiatric inpatient unitswhere the risk of ACB is highest.Method: We used the ACB Calculator and Anticholinergic Effecton Cognition (AEC) scale to compute ACB scores in two Englishpsychiatric units. We administered the Liverpool University SideEffect Rating Scale (LUNSERS) and Glasgow Antipsychotic SideEffect Scale (GASS) to examine patients’ perception of sideeffects.Results: Of 19 patients, the ACB Calculator mean was 6.68 andAEC 4.21. The LUNSERS mean was 22.72 (low side-effects) andGASS 9.12 (absent/mild side-effects). Two prescriber groups andtwo multidisciplinary sessions discussed the findings.Conclusions: Based on our findings, practice/audit recommendations to minimize ACB for PwID in psychiatric inpatients aresuggested.
Publication Date
2025-05-23
Publication Title
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities
ISSN
1931-5864
Keywords
Side effects, challenging behavior, in-patient units, learning disability, offending behaviour, psychotropics
First Page
1
Last Page
13
Recommended Citation
Shankar, R. (2025) 'Anticholinergic Burden in People with Intellectual Disability in Psychiatric Inpatient Units: Practice and Audit Recommendations', Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, , pp. 1-13. Available at: 10.1080/19315864.2025.2507640
