Naturalistic pharmacotherapy of acute episodes of schizophrenic disorders in comparison to treatment guidelines

• Published in: Pharmacopsychiatry Vol. 45; no. 5; p. 189
• Main Authors: Stein, M, Dietrich, D E, Agelink, M W, Becker, W, Chrysanthou, C, Driessen, M, Kruse, G, Machleidt, W, Reker, T, Schneider, U, Schulze Mönking, H, Emrich, H M, Arolt, V, Rothermundt, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.07.2012
• Subjects: Antipsychotic Agents - administration & dosage; Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects; Basal Ganglia Diseases - chemically induced; Basal Ganglia Diseases - prevention & control; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Interactions; Drug Therapy, Combination - adverse effects; Drug Therapy, Combination - statistics & numerical data; Drug Utilization Review - statistics & numerical data; Episode of Care; Guideline Adherence - standards; Guideline Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Hospitals, Psychiatric - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Hypnotics and Sedatives - administration & dosage; Hypnotics and Sedatives - adverse effects; Inpatients - statistics & numerical data; Medical Records - statistics & numerical data; Medication Therapy Management - standards; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychotic Disorders - diagnosis; Psychotic Disorders - drug therapy; Psychotic Disorders - etiology; Retrospective Studies; Schizophrenia - complications; Schizophrenia - diagnosis; Schizophrenia - drug therapy
• ISSN: 1439-0795
• DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1301286

This study was designed to investigate to what extent guidelines regarding the pharmacological treatment of patients suffering from schizophrenia-like psychosis are adopted in a naturalistic treatment setting. Medical records of n=819 patients undergoing inpatient treatment for schizophrenia-like psychosis in 11 psychiatric hospitals in northwestern Germany were retrospectively analyzed and findings were compared to current schizophrenia guideline recommendations. The prescription rate of second generation antipsychotics increased from 47.1% on admission to 62.5% at discharge. Only half the patients (52.3%) received antipsychotic monotherapy while 47.7% took between 2 and 4 antipsychotic substances at a time. Dosage increases occurred most frequently (in 60%) within the first week of inpatient treatment, 16.6% experienced an elevation between days 15 and 29. A change within the atypical medication was found in 19.3%. Clozapine prescriptions increased throughout the treatment but were combined with other antipsychotic substances in the majority of cases. Under naturalistic conditions guideline recommendations for treatment of schizophrenia-like psychosis are adhered to only partially. Combination therapy with 2 or more antipsychotic drugs is quite common despite a clear recommendation for monotherapy.