Psychotropic medication in adults with mental retardation: prevalence, and prescription practices

People with mental retardation comprise an overmedicated population. Studies the last 20 years or so indicate that nearly 50% of people with mental retardation receiving care have been using psychotropic medication, in the treatment of psychiatric disorders and/or problem behaviours. The recent years guidelines for prescription of psychotropics have been developed, emphasizing, e.g. the presence of a diagnosis, consideration of alternatives, and evaluation. In spite of all this, we found that 37% of people with mental retardation in one Norwegian county were using psychotropics, mostly neuroleptics. Moreover, prescriptions frequently violated current guidelines, especially when conducted by general practitioners. For example, a lot of prescriptions had not been indicated by a diagnosis, alternatives to medications had rarely been explored, and evaluation of effects and side effects were exceptions. Psychiatrists complied more with current guidelines. Implications of the findings are discussed.