Self-reported prescribing practices for schizophrenic patients among Israeli psychiatrists

A "Schizophrenia Prescribing Practices Questionnaire" was developed and employed in order to obtain, directly from treating psychiatrists, information concerning their use of psychotropic medication in schizophrenia. The analysis of data furnished by 56 survey participants working in various institutions and treatment settings pointed to the following main findings: 1) the use of a wide range of antipsychotic (neuroleptic) drug dosages, 2) the use of high potency neuroleptics as the drugs of choice in all phases of treatment, 3) dissimilar dosing with the main high and low potency neuroleptics, 4) dissimilar haloperidol and chlorpromazine dosing in various types of treatment settings, 5) the use of combinations of neuroleptics and prophylaxis with antiparkinsonian drugs by more than 40% of the sample. The results of the survey are discussed in the context of recent research advances and current treatment recommendations.