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Pharmacopsychiatry 2004; 37(1): 12-17
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-815469
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Patterns of Antipsychotic Utilization in a Tertiary Care Psychiatric Institution

R. M. Procyshyn1 , 2 , B. Thompson3
  • 1Division of Research, Riverview Hospital, Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada
  • 2Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 3Department of Pharmacy, Riverview Hospital, Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada
This project was funded by an unrestricted education grant from Eli Lilly Canada
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 26.7.2002 Revised: 30.10.2002

Accepted: 28.11.2002

Publication Date:
29 January 2004 (online)

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Objective: To perform a retrospective survey of discharge medications at a tertiary care psychiatric facility in an attempt to gain insight into, and perhaps an understanding of, the most recent pattern of antipsychotic utilization in patients with a diagnosis not restricted to schizophrenia.

Methods: This is a retrospective survey that used the Department of Pharmacy’s computer database to obtain relevant discharge information on all non-geriatric patients discharged from Riverview Hospital between 1 January and 31 December 2000. The records of 372 patients met the inclusion criteria and formed the database for the survey.

Results: The results of this survey revealed a relatively high prevalence of antipsychotic polypharmacy (the use of two antipsychotics). Perhaps surprisingly, the highest rate of antipsychotic polypharmacy was found in individuals diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder (49.3 %), followed by schizophrenia (44.7 %), bipolar disorder (29.9 %), and psychosis not otherwise specified (22.5 %).

Conclusion: Although antipsychotic polypharmacy is not a new phenomenon in schizophrenia, this study is the first to document its employment among other diagnoses.

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Dr. Ric M. Procyshyn

422 Henry Esson Young Building

500 Lougheed Highway

Riverview Hospital

Port Coquitlam, British Columbia

Canada

V3C 4J2

Phone: (604) 524-7384

Fax: (604) 524-7693

Email: rprocyshyn@bcmhs.bc.ca