A survey of prescribing of psychotropic drugs in a Birmingham psychiatric hospital.
Of 603 patients receiving in-patient or day-patient psychiatric care, one-sixth were taking no psychotropic drugs, but nearly 50% of those receiving medication had a combination of two or more such drugs. Hypnotics and minor tranquillisers were frequently prescribed together with neuroleptics and antidepressants. One-third of all patients receiving neuroleptics received a combination of oral and depot preparations, while half of all patients on neuroleptics were prescribed anti-parkinsonian drugs. One-fifth of patients treated with neuroleptics had a diagnosis other than schizophrenia, and one-third of patients treated with antidepressants had a diagnosis other than affective disorder. A comparison of our findings with those from Oxford show some significant differences, particularly in the use of depot, oral, of combined neuroleptic drugs. An analysis of prescribing could be a useful part of self-audit for hospitals.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs