Medication prescription patterns in patients with schizophrenia in OPD setting.

BACKGROUND: Although mono therapy of anti- psychotics has been recommended in the treatment of schizophrenia, it differs in actual clinical practice. In the context of schizophrenia, poly pharmacy generally means using two or more anti-psychotics, and combined medications of any other class including mood stabilizers, anti- depressants, anxiolytics or hypnotics. Despite lack of evidence of efficacy, increased side effects and higher costs, administration of anti- psychotic poly pharmacy is being practised at large. AIM: To study the prescription patterns of patients with schizophrenia under remission who are attending OPD of a tertiary care psychiatry facility. METHODOLOGY: A cross- sectional study of data was obtained from prescription details of patients with schizophrenia under remission attending review OPD in a month. Diagnosis of schizophrenia was made using ICD-10 criteria. Illness details regarding duration of illness, number of medications, duration of treatment, any depot preparations, number of hospitalizations and socio-demographic data of the patient will be entered into the intake pro-forma. RESULTS: Olanzapine was found to be most commonly used as monotherapy in our hospital. Moreover, wide range of polypharmacy has been practised.