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DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-815469
Patterns of Antipsychotic Utilization in a Tertiary Care Psychiatric Institution
This project was funded by an unrestricted education grant from Eli Lilly CanadaPublication History
Received: 26.7.2002
Revised: 30.10.2002
Accepted: 28.11.2002
Publication Date:
29 January 2004 (online)
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