title: Off-label use of atypical antipsychotic medications in Canterbury, New Zealand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the frequency and characteristics of "off-label" use of atypical antipsychotic medications (AAPs) by psychiatrists in Canterbury, New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on "off-label" prescribing of AAPs including the choice of medication, frequency of prescribing, and the indications for its use was collected using a postal survey of psychiatrists registered with the NZ Medical Council in the Canterbury region.
  
  
  RESULTS
  48 psychiatrists (71%) completed the survey. Forty-six (96%) prescribed AAPs "off-label". By far the most common agent was quetiapine (94%). Twenty-eight respondents (58%) prescribed "off-label" at least once a week. The most common reasons for the use of these agents was: anxiety (89%), sedation (79%), post-traumatic stress disorder (57%), treatment augmentation of another antipsychotic agent (48%) and behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (33%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  "Off-label" prescribing, particularly of quetiapine is very common in the Canterbury region, despite little scientific evidence for this kind of use, increasing evidence of abuse and potential for significant side-effects.
authors.affiliation: University of Otago and Hillmorton Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand. erik.monasterio@cdhb.govt.nz
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Monasterio
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McKean
mesh_terms: D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D056687:Off-Label Use / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D011570:Psychiatry; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents