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)

Preview

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.

References

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