PMID- 30440211
OWN - NLM
STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE
LR  - 20191120
IS  - 2051-6967 (Electronic)
IS  - 0790-9667 (Linking)
VI  - 20
IP  - 2
DP  - 2003 Jun
TI  - An audit of psychotropic prescribing practice of general adult psychiatrists in 
      elderly demented patients.
PG  - 59-64
LID - 10.1017/S0790966700007655 [doi]
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In Ireland elderly patients with behavioural and psychological 
      symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are frequently prescribed anti-psychotic and other 
      psychotropic agents. Elderly patients with dementia are more sensitive to adverse 
      effects of medications. Despite this, little is known of the psychotropic 
      prescribing practice of psychiatrists who treat this population. General adult 
      psychiatrists in the Republic of Ireland continue to treat elderly patients with 
      BPSD. The aim of this audit was to identify the prescribing practice of general 
      adult psychiatrists in elderly patients with BPSD. We compare this practice to 
      that of old age psychiatrists in the UK and that recommended by the American 
      Psychiatric Association in 1997. METHODS: We devised a structured anonymous 
      questionnaire, which was forwarded to all general adult psychiatrists in the 
      Republic of Ireland. RESULTS: Atypical anti-psychotics are frequently prescribed 
      by general adult psychiatrists to manage BPSD in elderly patients. The 
      anti-psychotic agent of first preference chosen to treat psychotic symptoms in 
      dementia is risperidone. Overall, sedative typical anti-psychotics are still the 
      most frequently chosen anti-psychotic agents, chosen to manage behavioural 
      symptoms in dementia. Benzodiazepines and trazadone are the most frequently 
      prescribed other psychotropic agents chosen to manage agitated behaviour. In 
      general the median doses of antipsychotics and other psychotropic medication used 
      are in keeping with both the APA guidelines and practice of old age psychiatrists 
      in the UK. A minority of practitioners (10%) specified at least one dosage regime 
      that was grossly outside recommended ranges. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, prescribing 
      practice in terms of choice of treatment and dosage regime, of general adult 
      psychiatrists in BPSD is in keeping with the best practice guidelines. However, 
      sedating typical anti-psychotics and on occasion extraordinarily high doses of 
      anti-psychotics are still prescribed.
FAU - Meaney, Anna Maria
AU  - Meaney AM
AD  - Cork University Hospital,Cork,Ireland.
FAU - Cooney, Colm
AU  - Cooney C
AD  - St. Vincent's Hospital,Elm Park,Dublin 4,Ireland.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - England
TA  - Ir J Psychol Med
JT  - Irish journal of psychological medicine
JID - 8900208
EDAT- 2003/06/01 00:00
MHDA- 2003/06/01 00:01
CRDT- 2018/11/17 06:00
PHST- 2018/11/17 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2003/06/01 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2003/06/01 00:01 [medline]
AID - S0790966700007655 [pii]
AID - 10.1017/S0790966700007655 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Ir J Psychol Med. 2003 Jun;20(2):59-64. doi: 10.1017/S0790966700007655.