Changing trends in anti-psychotic prescription pattern in Pakistan

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to identify the changing trends in Anti-psychotic prescription pattern in Pakistan. It was part of the research project Research on East Asian Psychotropic Prescription Pattern (REAP) carried out to identify the prescription patterns of schizophrenic patients in different countries located in Asia. Our objective was to assess the trend and change of psychotropic drug prescriptions for patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: The design of the study was quantitative and of descriptive epidemiology. This study was carried out from 30(th) March 2017. Data was collected on a unified protocol by the Psychiatrists from Pakistan. Three (3) centers i.e., Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad provided the data. Indoor and outdoor cases with Schizophrenia were recruited. A web based recording system for collection of data done at Taipei Taiwan, and statistical analysis was performed and transferred to all participating centers including Pakistan. RESULTS: The main findings of the study were that majority of the patients were prescribed antipsychotic poly pharmacy drug. It was also found that Anxiolytics, anti-depressants and Anti-parkinsonian drugs were also co-prescribed. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that antipsychotic poly pharmacy along with Anxiolytics, anti-depressants and Anti-parkinsonian drugs were prescribed to patients with schizophrenia in Pakistan.