Psychotropic Medication Usage for Psychiatric Emergencies in a Tertiary Health Care Centre in Nigeria
Keywords:
Psychotropics,, prescription pattern, psychiatric emergency, NigeriaAbstract
Background: This study documented the usage of psychotropics in patients presenting with psychiatric emergencies. The usage of psychotropic medications has to do with the prescription pattern of the clinicians in any setting.
Materials & Methods: A retrospective study carried out at the Accident and Emergency Unit of University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, between 2008 and 2018. Case notes of patients who presented with psychiatric emergencies were retrieved, data extracted and analyzed.
Results: A total of one hundred and fourteen patients were studied over a 10 year period. Most patients (82.5%) were diagnosed with psychotic disorders. Antipsychotics accounted for 67.5% of all prescriptions. Chlorpromazine was the most commonly prescribed oral psychotropic (22.8%). Mood stabilizers were 12.3% while antidepressants were 12.3% of all prescriptions.
Parenteral psychotropics were used more as combination (60.5%) than as single parenteral medication (14.0%). Commonest combination of parenteral psychotropic was Chlorpromazine and Diazepam. Long-acting medications commonly used were Fluphenazine Decanoate (20.8%) and Flupenthixol Decanoate (17.4%).
Conclusion: Oral antipsychotics were more prescribed with Chlorpromazine and Haloperidol as commonest. Amitriptylline was the commonest antidepressant prescribed while Chlorpromazine and Diazepam were the commonest parenteral psychotropic used. Fluphenazine Decanoate and Flupenthixol Decanoate were the commonest long-acting parenteral medications prescribed
References
Nikolas R. Historical changes in mental health ISBN 978-0-205-48436-2
practice. In: Thornicroft G, Szmukler G, Mueser KT, 12. Ashong S, Kretchy IA, Afrane B, Aikins AD. Patterns
Drake RE eds. Oxford Textbook of Community of Prescription of Psychotropic Medications and
Mental Health. Oxford University Press. 2011. DOI: Their Adherence among Patients with Schizophrenia
1093/med/9780199565498.003.0012 in Two Psychiatric Hospitals in Accra, Ghana: A
Grob GN. Mental health policy in modern America. Cross-Sectional Survey. Psychiatry Journal; 2018; 1-
In: Thornicroft G, Szmukler G, Mueser KT, Drake 10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9850594.
RE eds. Oxford Textbook of Community Mental 13. Barbui C and Hotopf M. Amitriptyline; the rest: still
Health. Oxford University Press. 2011. DOI: the leading antidepressant after 40 years of
1093/med/9780199565498.003.0014 randomised controlled trials. Br J Psychiatry. 2001;
Thomas B, Markus K. Psychiatric outpatient clinics. 178: 129-144.
In: Thornicroft G, Szmukler G, Mueser KT, Drake 14. Haw C, Stubbs J, Gibbon S. A survey of the use of
RE eds. Oxford Textbook of Community Mental emergency parenteral medication at a secure
Health. Oxford University Press. 2011. psychiatric hospital. Journal of Psychiatric Intensive.
DOI:10.1093/med/9780199565498.003.0086. 2012 ;9;2:1-8
Medical Definition of Psychotropic Medication; 15. Kane JM and Garcia-Ribera C. Clinical guideline
Available at: https://www.medicinenet.com/script/ recommendations for antipsychotic long-acting
main/art.asp?articlekey=30808. Last Accessed on injections. Br J Psychiatry. 2009; 195: 63–67.
/04/2020. 16. Stip E, Abdel-Baki A, Bloom D, Grignon S, Roy MA.
Jaramillo-Gonzalez LE, Sanchez-Pedraza R, Herazo An expert opinion from the Association des médecins
MI. The frequency of re-hospitalization and psychiatres du Québec. Canadian Journal of
associated factors in Colombian psychiatric patients: Psychiatry. 2011; 56: 367–376.
a cohort study. BMC Psychiatry. 2014; 14: 161. 17. Rosenheck RA, Krystal JH, Lew R. Long-acting
Tranquilizer. Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: risperidone and oral antipsychotics in unstable
https://www.britannica.com/science/tranquilizer. schizophrenia. New England Journal of Medicine.
Last Accessed on 02-05-2020 2011; 364: 842–851.
Jain H, Upadhyaya P, Goyal J, Kumar A, Jain P, Seth 18. Adams CE, Fenton MKP, Quraishi S, David AS.
V, Moghe VV. A systematic review of prescription Systematic meta-review of depot antipsychotic drugs
pattern monitoring studies and their effectiveness in for people with schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry. 2001;
promoting rational use of medicines; Perspect Clin 179: 290–299.
Res. 2015; 6: 86-90 19. Aina IO , Otakpor AN. Pattern of adult psychiatric
WHO-AIMS Report on Mental Health System in emergency cases presenting at a University Teaching
Nigeria. Available at: https://www.mindbank.info/ Hospital in Nigeria. Annals of Biomedical Sciences.
item/1303. Last accessed 15/04/2020 2017; 16; 1. Available at: https://www.ajol.info/
Mental Health Medications. Available at: index.php/abs/article/view/154452 Last Accessed
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/mental- 09-09-20202
health-medications/index.shtml . Last Accessed on 20. Shakya DR, Shyangwa PM, Shakya R. Psychiatric
-04-2020 Emergencies in a Tertiary Care Hospital. Journal of
Drug Overdose from eMedicine Health. Available at: the Nepal Medical Association. 2008; 47: 28-33.
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/ drug_ 21. Mahgoub OM. Psychiatric Emergencies at a
overdose/symptom.htm. Last Accessed on University Teaching Hospital In Eastern Saudi
/04/2020. Arabia. J Family Community Med. 2000; 7: 53–59.
Hurst C. Social Inequality: Forms, Causes, and Consequences (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Research Journal of Health Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Research Journal of Health Sciences journal is a peer reviewed, Open Access journal. The Journal subscribed to terms and conditions of Open Access publication. Articles are distributed under the terms of Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). (http://creativecommons.org/licences/by-nc-nd/4.0). All articles are made freely accessible for everyone to read, download, copy and distribute as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.
