Which neuroleptic would psychiatrists take for themselves or their relatives?
OBJECTIVE
Psychiatrists should be asked which neuroleptic they would prefer for themselves and their relatives in the case of first manifestation of schizophrenia.


METHODS
Questionnaires were answered by 66 psychiatrists from 13 different sites in Baden-Wuerttemberg (South West Germany). Only those were included who had treated more than 50 patients with schizophrenia within the last 5 years (n = 54).


RESULTS
The psychiatrists were experienced with conventional and most of the atypical agents. Fifty-one point nine percent would take olanzapine as first line treatment, 20.4% risperidone, 13.0% quetiapine, 9.3% amisulpride, 3.7% haloperidol and 1.9% perazine. In four cases, different substances were preferred for oneself and relatives.


CONCLUSIONS
Most psychiatrists would not take conventional neuroleptics, though 70% of prescriptions for schizophrenic patients have been conventional neuroleptics in Germany in 2000. The preferences among atypicals correspond well with the current prescription practice in Germany.
Steinert
Tilman
T
Centre of Psychiatry Weissenau, Department of Psychiatry I, University of Ulm, Weingartshofer Street, Ravensburg-Weissenau 88214, Germany. tilman.steinert@zfp-weissenau.de
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000639:trends*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents