Many patients who are prescribed antipsychotics will be simultaneously prescribed other psychiatric drugs, for example, antidepressants, valproate or lithium. These other drugs can cause side effects in their own right and sometimes a side effect such as tremor, sedation or weight gain may be the result of the combined effect of several drugs. The SMARTS

checklist was developed primarily to assess antipsychotic side effects. However, we believe that the wide range of side effects it covers, plus the inclusion of a 12th open question, mean that it may be used to help assess side Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical effects and tolerability in patients prescribed psychiatric drugs other than antipsychotics as well as patients prescribed antipsychotics

Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical in conjunction with other psychiatric medications. If it is used in this way the clinician will need to judge as to whether to enquire about additional specific side effects, depending on the drug(s) prescribed to that individual, during the consultation. Management of side effects is best decided in partnership with the patient. Options will depend on the severity of symptoms, their impact on the patient and a weighing up of the benefits and drawbacks of continuing Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical the current medication versus alternative options [Weiden and Buckley, 2007]. Potential strategies to manage side effects include reducing the dose of the antipsychotic, switching to an alternative antipsychotic, adopting life style changes (for example, sipping water if troubled by a dry Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical mouth) or prescribing

a specific treatment for the side effect (for example, an anticholinergic Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical agent to treat antipsychotic-induced parkinsonism). Irrespective of whether a specific intervention is offered, the SMARTS checklist can be used to monitor change in side effects over time. Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge ApotheCom ScopeMedical who provided assistance during the development of the checklist, including very collating the responses of the practising psychiatrists, and assistance with preparation and submission of the final MK-2206 research buy manuscript including liaison between the authors and the proposal of minor revisions to the authors’ original draft. Appendix: SMARTS Systematic Monitoring of Adverse events Related to TreatmentS Instructions: We want to be sure that you are receiving the best treatment, and would like to check whether you have any problems which may result from taking your medications. Please circle any of the following items that trouble you, so that your doctor or nurse can discuss them with you.