[Off-label prescriptions in public psychiatric hospital practice].
OBJECTIVE
Analyze prescriptions in public hospital psychiatric practice.


METHODS
Psychiatric and somatic prescriptions were analyzed a given day regarding their indication, dosage, treatment duration, and prescription scheme. Consultants were individually asked for the reasons of off-label prescriptions.


RESULTS
Five thousand eighty-six lines of prescription were recorded for 495 patients, showing a total of 34% off-label prescriptions, including 43.5% for psychiatric medications and 22.7% for somatic medications. Psychiatric medications: 22.3% were off-label for indication, 13.1% for dosage, 4.5% for treatment duration, and 6.2% for prescription scheme. (off-label prescriptions for indication: 12.1% without clonazepam - which delivery have been restricted by the end of 2011). Somatic medications: respectively 4.5%, 14.9%, 4.8% and 12.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
Percentage of off-label prescriptions for indication of psychiatric medications was clearly less than percentages published in the literature (other percentages are new). While most of off-label prescriptions were made in accordance with clinical reports in the literature, some others were not.
Laura
L
Andréoli
Muriel
M
Gaudoneix
Patrick
P
Beauverie
Renaud
R
de Beaurepaire
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004348:Drug Labeling; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056687:Off-Label Use / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
D055553:Prescription Drugs