Patterns of antipsychotic utilization in a tertiary care psychiatric institution.
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%).


CONCLUSIONS
Although antipsychotic polypharmacy is not a new phenomenon in schizophrenia, this study is the first to document its employment among other diagnoses.
Procyshyn
R M
RM
Division of Research, Riverview Hospital, Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada. rprocyshyn@bcmhs.bc.ca
Thompson
B
B
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001955:British Columbia; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents