Abstract

Background: Prescribing pattern of antipsychotics has changed over the decade with availability of newer antipsychotics. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to analyze the utilization pattern of antipsychotics at our hospital.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of case files of patients receiving antipsychotics was carried out in the psychiatry outpatient department of new civil hospital, Surat, for a period of 6 months. Pattern of antipsychotic prescription, the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribing indicators, defined daily dose (DDD)/1000 inhabitants/day (DID), prescribed daily dose (PDD), and the PDD-to-DDD ratio were assessed.
Results: A total of 2115 drugs were prescribed in 631 prescriptions, of which 804 (38.01%) were antipsychotics. Schizophrenia (55.31%) was the most common diagnosis. Sedative-hypnotics (30.23%) were the most common coprescribed drug group. Atypical antipsychotics were more commonly prescribed – olanzapine: 47.39%, risperidone: 27.49%, clozapine: 13.06%, and others: 12.06%. The average number of antipsychotics/prescription: 1.29 ± 0.53; prescribing of antipsychotics by generic name: 95.02%; prescribing from the WHO essential medicines list: 43.66%; prescribing from National List of Essential Medicines: 47.89%; prescribing for injections of antipsychotics: 0.62%; prescriptions of fixed-drug combinations: 0.50%, and DID of antipsychotics: 0.014 mg. PDD-to-DDD ratios for trifluoperazine, ziprasidone, amisulpride, and clozapine were 1. Conclusion: The second-generation antipsychotic olanzapine was the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic. The prescriptions were complete and followed principles of rational prescribing in majority of cases. Prescribing the drugs available from hospital supply will decrease cost of therapy in chronic psychiatric disorders.