TABLE 1.

Suggested physical and laboratory assessments for patients with schizophrenia^a

Assessment	Initial or baseline	Follow-up
Monitoring physical status or detecting concomitant physical conditions
Vital signs	Pulse, blood pressure	Pulse, blood pressure, temperature as clinically indicated
Body weight and height	Body weight, height, and BMI	BMI every visit for six months and at least quarterly thereafter
Hematology	CBC, including ANCb	CBC, including ANC if clinically indicated (e.g., patients treated with clozapine)
Blood chemistries	Electrolytes, renal function tests, liver function tests, TSHc	As clinically indicated
Pregnancy	Pregnancy test for women of childbearing potential
Toxicology	Drug toxicology screen, if clinically indicated	Drug toxicology screen, if clinically indicated
Electrophysiological studies	EEG, if indicated on the basis of neurological exam or history
Imaging	Brain imaging (CT or MRI, with MRI preferred), if indicated based on neurological exam or history
Genetic testing	Chromosomal testing, if indicated on the basis of physical exam or history, including developmental history
Monitoring for specific side effects of treatment
Diabetes	Screening for diabetes risk factors, fasting blood glucose	Fasting blood glucose or HbA1c four months after initiating a new treatment and at least annually thereafter
Hyperlipidemia	Lipid panel	Lipid panel four months after initiating a new antipsychotic medication and at least annually thereafter
Metabolic syndrome	Determine whether metabolic syndrome criteria are met	Determine whether metabolic syndrome criteria are met four months after initiating a new antipsychotic medication and at least annually thereafter.
QTcd prolongation	ECG before treatment with chlorpromazine, droperidol, iloperidone, pimozide, thioridazine, or ziprasidone or in the presence of cardiac risk factors	ECG with significant change in dose of chlorpromazine, droperidol, iloperidone, pimozide, thioridazine, or ziprasidone or with the addition of other medications that can affect QTc interval among patients with cardiac risk factors or elevated baseline QTc intervals
Hyperprolactinemia	Screening for symptoms of hyperprolactinemia; prolactin level, if indicated on the basis of clinical history	Screening for symptoms of hyperprolactinemia at each visit until stable, then yearly if treated with an antipsychotic known to increase prolactin; prolactin level, if indicated on the basis of clinical history
Antipsychotic-induced movement disorders	Clinical assessment of akathisia, dystonia, parkinsonism, and other abnormal involuntary movements, including tardive dyskinesia; Assessment with a structured instrument (e.g. AIMS, DISCUSe) if such movements are present	Clinical assessment of akathisia, dystonia, parkinsonism, and other abnormal involuntary movements, including tardive dyskinesia, at each visit. Assessment with a structured instrument (e.g. AIMS, DISCUS) at a minimum of every 6 months in patients at high risk of tardive dyskinesia and at least every 12 months in other patients as well as if a new onset or exacerbation of pre-existing movements is detected at any visit

^aSee table 2 of the full practice guideline for additional details.

^bCBC, complete blood count; ANC, absolute neutrophil count.

^cTSH, thyroid stimulating hormone.

^dQTc, corrected QT interval.

^eAIMS, Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale; DISCUS, Dyskinesia Identification System–Condensed User Scale.