Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T16:35:58.143Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Neuroleptics in dementia

Two consecutive surveys of prescribing practice at the interface of hospital and primary care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Franz Schembri Wismayer  and
Attila Sipos
Franz Schembri Wismayer*
Affiliation:
Fromeside Clinic, Blackberry Hill Hospital, Bristol
Attila Sipos
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, 41 St Michaels Hill, Bristol BS2 8DZ
*
∗Correspondence
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Aims and method

We surveyed the prescription of neuroleptic drugs in patients with a diagnosis of dementia discharged from a general psychiatric hospital over two consecutive years. The surveys looked at documentation of information around prescribing and communication to primary care teams. Our aim was to help to minimise the potential contribution of hospital practice to unnecessary or continuing unreviewed neuroleptic prescription in the community.

Results

The first survey led to the adoption of new clinical standards in the Department of Old Age Psychiatry. The second survey found improvements in all surveyed parameters.

Clinical implications

Clear communication of information around prescribing and follow-up arrangements could help to reduce inappropriate community prescription of neuroleptics in this vulnerable group of patients.

Type
Original Papers
Information
Psychiatric Bulletin , Volume 23 , Issue 7: The Journal of Trends in Psychiatric Practice , July 1999 , pp. 409 - 412
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

References

Christopher, L. J., Ballinger, B. R., Shepperd, A. M. M., et al (1978) Drug prescribing patterns in the elderly: a cross-sectional study of in-patients. Age & Ageing, 7, 74 82.Google Scholar
Connelly, P. J. (1992) An audit of the use of antipsychotics in a geriatric psychiatry continuing care unit in Scotland. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 7, 447 453.Google Scholar
Connelly, P. J. (1993) Antipsychotic drugs in continuing care: a two-year follow-up audit. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 8, 261 264.Google Scholar
Gilleard, C. J., Morgan, K. & Wade, B. E. (1983) Patterns of neuroleptic use among the institutionalised elderly. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 68, 419 425.Google Scholar
McGrath, A. M. & Jackson, G. A. (1996) Survey of neuroleptic prescribing in residents of nursing homes in Glasgow. British Medical Journal, 312, 611 612.Google Scholar
McShane, R., Keene, J., Gedling, K., et al (1997) Do neuroleptic drugs hasten cognitive decline in dementia? Prospective study with necropsy follow-up. British Medical Journal, 314, 266 270.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mulsant, B. H. & Gershon, S. (1993) Neuroleptics in the treatment of psychosis in late life: a rational approach, International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 8, 979 992.Google Scholar
Ray, W. A., Federspeil, C. F. & Schaffner, W. (1980) A study of antipsychotic drug use in nursing homes: epidemiologic evidence suggesting misuse. American Journal of Public Health, 70, 485 491.Google Scholar
Ray, W. A., Griffin, M. R., Schaffner, W., et al (1987) Psychotropic drug use and the rate of hip fracture. New England Journal of Medicine, 316, 363 369.Google Scholar
Schneider, L. S., Pollock, V. E. & Lyness, S. A. (1990) A meta-analysis of controlled trials of neuroleptic treatment in dementia. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 38, 553 563.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Semla, T. P., Palla, K., Poddig, B., et al (1994) Effect of the omnibus reconciliation act 1987 on antipsychotic prescribing in nursing home residents. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 42, 648 652.Google Scholar
Thacker, S. & Jones, R. (1997) Neuroleptic prescribing to the community elderly in Nottingham. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 12, 833 837.Google Scholar
World Health Organization (1998) The Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems (ICD–10) Geneva: WHO.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.