|
End
“routine” prescribing of high-dose antipsychotics, psychiatrists
are urged
May
19, 2006
by Angela Hussain
Psychiatrists
should end the “routine” prescribing of high-dose antipsychotics
to adult patients, a report has recommended.
The
Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) report reveals that up to a
quarter of adult psychiatric in-patients are on high doses of antipsychotics.
The report recognises there is a "possible link" between
antipsychotic drugs and sudden death. However the report adds there
is "no consensus" on there being a causal link.
The RCP working group which compiled the report defines a “high
dose” as either a daily dose of an antipsychotic which exceeds
the upper limit stated in the British National Formulary, or a total
daily dose of two or more antipsychotics which exceeds the formulary’s
maximum.
High-dose antipsychotics should only be prescribed after a risk–benefit
assessment by a fully trained psychiatrist, said the report.
"This
should be undertaken in consultation with the wider clinical team
and the patient and a patient advocate, if available”, read
the "consensus statement" report.
It
also states that evidence reveals that high-dose prescribing for
"treatment-resistant" schizophrenia is "unsuccessful
or inappropriate". Therefore, high doses should "rarely
be used" in such cases.
Read
for yourself:
Royal
College of Psychiatrists' consensus statement on high-dose antipsychotic
medication (pdf)
See also:
Mental health comment
Feb 7, 2005: Compassion
not compulsion - psychiatric treatment by force amounts to state-sponsored
violence, says clinical psychologist Rufus May.
Add your
comments
What
do you think? Email your comments on the above
article to the editor using the form below. Selected comments will
be displayed.
© 2001-7 Psychminded Limited. All
rights reserved
Email
a colleague
about this article
|
|
