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Psychotropic drug

About: Psychotropic drug is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2309 publications have been published within this topic receiving 54070 citations.


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Benzodiazepine use continues to be highly prevalent in primary care patients, in spite of the nationwide implementation of controlled prescriptions, and is observed in women and in urban areas.
Abstract: Background: Benzodiazepine use is associated to a risk of abuse of dependency. In Chile benzodiazepine abuse is a public health issue. In an attempt to overcome this problem, several restrictions in their prescription were implemented by the health authority. Despite these measures, inadequate use of benzodiazepines in primary care continues to be frequent. Aim: To study the frequency of benzodiazepine use among primary care patients. Material and methods: Cross sectional survey done during two days, with seven physicians working in public primary care clinics. They applied a structured questionnaire about psychotropic medication use. Results: One hundred eighty eight subjects aged 46.8±17.5 years, 66% women, were interviewed. Thirty two percent were consuming a psychotropic drug and 82% of these corresponded to benzodiazepines. General practitioners and psychiatrists prescribed the drug to 75% and 13% of subjects, respectively. A higher frequency of benzodiazepine use was observed in women and in urban areas. Conclusions: Benzodiazepine use continues to be highly prevalent in primary care patients, in spite of the nationwide implementation of controlled prescriptions (Rev Med Chile 2003; 131: 535-40).

23 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A semi-structured interview for assessing the knowledge and attitude of health workers concerning mental health problems was applied in seven developing country areas within the context of a World Health Organization coordinated collaborative study, and the results indicate a lack of basic mental health training associated with a failure to recognizemental health problems.
Abstract: A semi-structured interview for assessing the knowledge and attitude of health workers concerning mental health problems was applied in seven developing country areas within the context of a World Health Organization coordinated collaborative study. The results indicate a lack of basic mental health training associated with a failure to recognize mental health problems, restricted knowledge concerning psychotropic drug therapy, and an inability to visualize practical forms of mental health care which could be introduced at primary care level. The results were used to design appropriate training programs, and the observations will be repeated to assess the effectiveness of training.

23 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: Examination of the records of all patients with at least one psychosocial problem over a six-year period during which they were registered with the practice has shown that encounters forPsychosocial problems tended to be concentrated in a relatively short period - the ;worst year' - rather than being evenly distributed over the whole six years.
Abstract: Three quarters of the patients in a group practice referred to a clinical psychologist during a three-year period showed marked reductions in the consulting and psychotropic drug prescription rates in the six months after treatment compared with the six months leading up to treatment. However, the rates for the whole practice revealed a general falling trend over the period of study. Furthermore, examination of the records of all patients with at least one psychosocial problem over a six-year period during which they were registered with the practice has shown that encounters for psychosocial problems tended to be concentrated in a relatively short period - the ;worst year' - rather than being evenly distributed over the whole six years. It is concluded that the natural history of most psychological disorders is one of crisis and remission and that no benefit has been demonstrated from individual therapy by clinical psychologists.

23 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the nature and prevalence of medication prescriptions for patients discharged from an urban psychiatric emergency service and the extent to which pharmacotherapy initiation was predictive of follow-through with aftercare.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Considerable debate exists about the value and wisdom of initiating "definitive" pharmacotherapies, particularly antidepressants, in the psychiatric emergency setting. We evaluated the nature and prevalence of medication prescriptions for patients discharged from an urban psychiatric emergency service and the extent to which pharmacotherapy initiation was predictive of follow-through with aftercare. METHOD: Records were reviewed for 675 consecutive individuals evaluated and discharged from a community-based psychiatric emergency service over a 3-month period (January 2003-March 2003). Information was obtained regarding diagnoses, past and current treatments, and demographic and clinical features, as well as outcomes for the subgroup of patients who received aftercare appointments within the institutional system. RESULTS: Fifty-five percent of psychiatric emergency service visits resulted in discharge, with psychotropic drug prescriptions given to about 30% of this group. Prescriptions most often included antidepressants (64%), benzodiazepines (25%), nonbenzodiazepine sedatives (20%), anti-psychotics (18%), and mood stabilizers (10%). After controlling for potential confounders, the decision to prescribe was significantly associated with a clinical diagnosis of major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder and the preexisting use of psychotropic medications. Nonprescribing occurred most often in discharged patients who had suicidal ideation, substance abuse or dependence, and an existing outpatient psychiatrist. Follow-up emergency service and new outpatient appointments were more often given to patients discharged with a prescription, but follow-through with aftercare was not more likely in this group. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatrists in an emergency service prescribe antidepressants or other major psychotropics for about one third of discharged patients, rarely in the presence of suicidality or substance abuse or dependence, and with little evidence that initiating such medications in the emergency setting promotes more successful bridging to outpatient treatment. Language: en

23 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 May 2008
TL;DR: There was wide variation in the frequency of DA prescribing between HK and BJ even though the ethnic and clinical characteristics of the two samples were nearly identical, which suggests that sociocultural and economic factors, as well as traditions in psychiatric training and practice all played a role in determining the use of DA.
Abstract: Background To date, no study has investigated the use of depot antipsychotic medication (DA) in Chinese outpatients with schizophrenia. This study explored the frequency and sociodemographic and clinical correlates of DA in schizophrenia outpatients in both Hong Kong (HK) and Beijing (BJ), China. Methods 505 clinically stable outpatients with schizophrenia were randomly selected and interviewed in HK and BJ using standardized assessment instruments. Their basic sociodemographic and clinical data and psychotropic drug prescriptions were collected at the time of a diagnostic interview. Results 117 (23.2%) patients were prescribed DA, 36.1 and 10% of the HK and BJ samples, respectively. Prescription of DA was associated with a history of suicide, less use of clozapine, more frequent antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP), more frequent admissions, and study site (HK vs. BJ). In multiple logistic regression analysis, study site, less frequent prescription of clozapine, history of suicide, and more frequent use of APP remained significantly associated with DA. Conclusion There was wide variation in the frequency of DA prescribing between HK and BJ even though the ethnic and clinical characteristics of the two samples were nearly identical. This suggests that sociocultural and economic factors, as well as traditions in psychiatric training and practice all played a role in determining the use of DA.

23 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202332
202268
202175
202058
201960
201876