title: History, background, concepts and current use of comedication and polypharmacy in psychiatry.
abstract: Based on a careful literature search a review is presented of the history, background, concepts and current use of comedication and polypharmacy in psychiatry. The pros and cons of comedication and polypharmacy are presented, as well as their apparent increase in recent times. Possible reasons for the increase of comedication/polypharmacy are described. Both the potential advantages as well as the potential risks are discussed. The one sided view that all comedication/polypharmacy is nothing but problematic is questioned. Comedication/polypharmacy seems to be, among others, the current answer to the well-known limited efficacy and effectiveness of current monotherapy treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy,Ludwig-Maximilians-University,Nussbaumstr.7, 80336 Munich,Germany.
authors.forename: H-J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy,Ludwig-Maximilians-University,Nussbaumstr.7, 80336 Munich,Germany.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Seemüller
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy,Ludwig-Maximilians-University,Nussbaumstr.7, 80336 Munich,Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schennach-Wolff
authors.affiliation: Bezirkskrankenhaus Augsburg, Dr-Mack-Straße 1, 86156Augsburg.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stübner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy,Ludwig-Maximilians-University,Nussbaumstr.7, 80336 Munich,Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rüther
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy,Ludwig-Maximilians-University,Nussbaumstr.7, 80336 Munich,Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grohmann
mesh_terms: D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019338:Polypharmacy; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000379:methods; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy