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A study of an antipsychotic prescription pattern of patients with schizophrenia in a developing country
Smitha Ramadas1, Praveenlal Kuttichira, T P Sumesh
1Govt. Medical College, Thrissur, India.
Background:
Though there are several recommended guidelines for treating schizophrenia, in routine clinical practice, these are not followed.
Aim:
To conduct an audit of the prescription pattern of antipsychotic drugs in patients with schizophrenia, in a tertiary care centre in India, during a period of 1 year and compare it with Maudsley guidelines and Clinical practice guidelines for Psychiatrists in India (IPS guidelines).
Materials And Methods:
Data were collected from the case records, compiled, and analyzed. The concordance or discordance with Maudsley and IPS guidelines were studied.
Results:
The demographic variables of the patients and the prescription pattern of drugs were analyzed. The correlations between supramaximal and sub-threshold dosage of drugs to the gender, age, duration of illness, and combination of drugs were examined.
Conclusions:
Polypharmacy of antipsychotics is common. 31% of patients were on combination of typical and atypical antipsychotics. 4% of patients were receiving supramaximal dose of antipsychotics and all of them were on combination (P =<0.03, x(2)). 24% of patients were on sub-threshold doses. 83% were not on anticholinergic drugs.
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