title: Atypical antipsychotic use for adult outpatients in New Zealand's Auckland and Northland regions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To outline the prescribing patterns of atypical antipsychotics for adult mental health outpatients in Auckland and Northland in 2004.
  
  
  METHODS
  All community files were reviewed retrospectively (n = 6165). Patient characteristics, diagnosis, and antipsychotic and concurrent medication were recorded and analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 71.3% of outpatients were prescribed an antipsychotic, of which 82.5% were atypicals: oral risperidone (30.9%), olanzapine (30.3%), quetiapine (17.1%), clozapine (26.3%), and depot risperidone (0.4%). Psychotic disorders accounted for 73.2% of outpatients on atypicals, and schizophrenia was the most common disorder overall (62.5%). Combination antipsychotic treatment occurred in 13.5% of those prescribed atypicals; 4.8% had another atypical and 8.7% had a typical co-prescribed. Clozapine was least likely to be combined with a typical antipsychotic. Those receiving combination typical and atypical antipsychotics had a greater likelihood of being prescribed an anticholinergic medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atypical antipsychotics are the preferred treatment for outpatients with psychotic illness and are being prescribed in a manner consistent with clinical practice guidelines. Co-prescribing of antipsychotics was low, but may be causing unnecessary adverse effects and risks.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research and Resource Centre, Waitemata District Health Board, PO Box 44055, Pt Chevalier, Auckland 1246. amanda.wheeler@waitematadhb.govt.nz
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wheeler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003024:Clozapine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D003024:Clozapine; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine