Epidemiology of first- and second-generation antipsychotic agents in Lombardy, Italy.
BACKGROUND
This study investigated the age and gender distribution of antipsychotic prescribing in Lombardy, a region of nine million inhabitants in northern Italy.


METHODS
From the Regional Administrative Database of Lombardy, all ambulatory prescriptions of antipsychotics dispensed during 2001 were extracted and prevalence data were calculated by dividing users by the total number of male and female residents in each age group.


RESULTS
During the study period 86,187 subjects were dispensed antipsychotic agents, yielding a prevalence of use of 0.87 (95 % CI: 0.86, 0.88) per 100 males and 1.01 (95 % CI: 1.00, 1.02) per 100 females. The prevalence of use progressively rose with age in both sexes, with the highest rates in old and very old subjects. The prevalence of use of first-generation antipsychotics progressively increased with age and dramatically increased in old and very old subjects; in contrast, the prevalence of use of second-generation antipsychotics remained substantially stable or slightly decreased up to 65 years of age and increased thereafter.


CONCLUSIONS
Antipsychotic agents are prescribed widely in the general population, and very high rates were observed in those aged 80 years or more.
Percudani
M
M
Health Care Directorate, Region of Lombardy, Milan, Italy. Mauro_Percudani@regione.lombardia.it
Barbui
C
C
Fortino
I
I
Petrovich
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D019992:Databases as Topic; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents