Psychotropic drug

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

Korean Guidelines for the Pharmacological Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder: Initial Treatment Strategies.

Abstract: Objective The aim of the present study was to provide clinical consensus and evidence regarding initial treatment strategies for the pharmacological treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD) in Korea. Methods We prepared a questionnaire to derive a consensus from clinicians regarding their preference for the pharmacological treatment of SAD in Korea. Data regarding medication regimens and psychotropic drugs used during initial treatment, the doses used, and the pharmacological treatment duration were obtained. Responses were obtained from 66 SAD experts, and their opinions were classified into three categories (first-line, second-line, third-line) using a chi-square analysis. Results Clinicians agreed upon first-line regimens for SAD involving monotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) venlafaxine, or combined therapy using antidepressants with betablockers or benzodiazepines on a standing or as-needed basis. First-line psychotropic drug choices for initial treatment included the following: escitalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, and propranolol. The medication dosage used by domestic clinicians was found to be comparable with foreign guidelines. Domestic clinicians tended to make treatment decisions in a shorter amount of time and preferred a similar duration of maintenance treatment for SAD when compared with foreign clinicians. Conclusion This study may provide significant information for developing SAD pharmacotherapy guidelines in Korea, especially in the early stage of treatment.

A survey of drug audit practices and promotion of quality prescribing in Australian hospitals with a focus on psychotropic drugs

Abstract: Objective: To gain an insight into current practice of drug audit/drug usage evaluation (DUE) in Australian hospitals with a particular focus on psychotropic drugs. Method: All Australian hospitals with greater than 150 beds were surveyed by questionnaire to ascertain the level of drug audit activity and the strategies used to support quality prescribing. Twenty two pharmacists from 18 different hospitals in 5 States participated in a structured follow-up interview. Results: Pharmacists from 73 (49%) of the 150 hospitals surveyed responded. Drug audit activity varied widely across hospitals and did not necessarily relate to the size or demographics of the hospital. While there was increasing use of well-structured DUE, simple one-day 'snapshots' of drug usage were also common. Interviewees reported that the focus of DUE was primarily on cost containment, with a secondary element of quality prescribing. Pharmacists were closely involved, but little training or additional resources were provided for these activities. Successful DUE was seen to depend heavily on hospital culture and in particular on the support of key clinicians and senior managers. Psychotropic drug audit was not a high priority for DUE outside the stand-alone psychiatric institutions. Lack of resources and incentives coupled with inadequate information technology have limited DUE progress. Conclusion: There is recognition in Australian hospitals that DUE is a valuable tool for improving prescribing practice. To progress DUE it is critical to advance and standardise hospital systems and in particular to introduce electronic prescribing. In addition there is scope to improve policy agendas relating to accreditation requirements and national standards to enhance the development of DUE. (author abstract)

Psychotropic Drug Usage in Quebec Urban Women: Pharmacological Aspects:

Abstract: Data on patterns of psychotropic drug use from a two-part study of Quebec urban women are reported. Part I involved telephone interviews with 1187 women on their use of pain, sleep, and psychotropic medications. In Part II, 179 women participated in a further person-to-person interview. Areas covered included frequency and duration of use, efficacy of the product, dosage, presence of undesirable side effects, source of drug information, and the concomitant use of other medications. Diazepam and flurazepam (Valium and Dalmane) were the most frequently consumed psychotropes, with diazepam second only to aspirin as the most commonly used of all the medications. The majority of psychotropic users obtained the drug initially through a general practitioner for nonspecific health reasons, were satisfied with the efficacy of the drug, took the medication as directed, felt informed of the effects, and found no undesirable side effects. Multiple psychotrope use was not prevalent, and users of mood-modifiers were ge...

The One-Day Survey On Psychotropic Drugs Use In 788 Psychotic Inpatients In Beijing Anding Hospital

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the one-day data of psychotropics use of 788 psychiatric inpatients in Beijing Anding Hospital. METHODS: The day of Nov. 10, 1999 was collected. The one-day utilization of psychotropic drugs in all inpatients were surveyed and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The five psychotropic drugs in order were clozapine (30.7%), haloperidol (15.6%), perphenazine (12.3%), risperidone (10.5%), chlorpromazine (10.4%). The five antidepressants in order were amitriptyline (3.7%), paroxetine (2.5%), clomipramine (2.3%), fluoxetine (1.8%), and doxepin (1.5%). CONCLUSION: It shows that most scheme of psychotropic drug treatment tended to be rationalized. The benzodiazepine abuse should be avoided.

Clinical laboratory test standards for a sample of schizophrenics.

Abstract: The normal ranges for 15 clinical laboratory tests for a pooled sample of 325 schizophrenics, largely chronic and hospitalized, are presented. Laboratory data came from pretreatment blood samples of subjects who were all participants in clinical psychotropic drug trials conducted through the Early Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit (ECDEU) Program of the National Institute of Mental Health. Both parametric means and ranges (mean ± 2 standard deviations) and nonparametric medians and percentile ranges (2.5 and 97.5 percentiles) are reported. The results generally confirm the finding of increased variability in schizophrenic laboratory test data noted in the past. This, and implications of the method are discussed.