title: Predictors of high-dose antipsychotic prescription in psychiatric patients in Hong Kong.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the factors associated with high-dose antipsychotic prescribing for psychiatric patients in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Psychiatric in-patients and out-patients in the New Territories West Cluster, Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1129 in-patients and 7520 out-patients who received antipsychotic medications on the study date.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic and clinical data were compared for patients receiving 'normal' and high dosages of antipsychotic medications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High dosages were prescribed for 104 (9.2%) of the in-patients and 137 (1.8%) of out-patients. Antipsychotic polypharmacy was the most powerful predictor of high-dose prescribing, with an odds ratio of 8.88 for in-patients and 10.82 for out-patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antipsychotic polypharmacy was the main determinant of high-dose antipsychotic prescribing in this study. Further studies should be conducted to look for other variables contributing to such prescribing in Hong Kong.
authors.affiliation: Castle Peak Hospital, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong. gabrielhung@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Gabriel B K
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Cheung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D019338:Polypharmacy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents