title: Quetiapine use in adults in the community: a population-based study in Alberta, Canada.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate trends in prescribing of the second-generation antipsychotic medication quetiapine to adults in the province of Alberta from 2008 to 2013 through examination of dispensed prescriptions, and diagnoses associated with users of quetiapine in 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed administrative data from Alberta Health; the Alberta Pharmaceutical Information Network (PIN) Dispenses health data set, the Practitioner Payments (Fee-For-Service claims) health data set and the Population Registry health data set. These data sets allowed us to identify discrete quetiapine recipients for each calendar year from 2008 to 2013. To evaluate diagnoses associated with users of quetiapine, we evaluated diagnostic codes used by physicians in billings claims in 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quetiapine use increased over the 6-year time period studied. In 2008, there were 16,087 unique quetiapine recipients in Alberta (7.2 per 1000). By 2013, there were 35,314 unique quetiapine recipients (13.3 per 1000). Use by women was higher than men at all time points. Depression was most common diagnosis associated with quetiapine recipients, which was present in 56% of users of quetiapine. Other common diagnoses associated with quetiapine use included neurotic disorders, bipolar disorder and sleep disturbances.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study of quetiapine use in the province of Alberta provides confirmatory data of the increasing use of quetiapine for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. Safe and rational prescribing practices must be encouraged in light of the modest advantages of quetiapine over no treatment as an adjunctive treatment of major depression, and the known harms of this medication.
authors.affiliation: Physician Learning Program, Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: Physician Learning Program, Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.affiliation: Physician Learning Program, Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Symonds
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pringsheim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate
keywords: quetiapine; second generation antipsychotics