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A survey of psychotropic drug prescriptions in an oncology population
Author(s) -
Derogatis Leonard R.,
Feldstein Michael,
Melisaratos Nick,
Morrow Gary,
Schmale Arthur,
Schmitt Madeline,
Gates Christopher,
Murawski Benjamin,
Holland Jimmie,
Penman Doris,
Enelow Allen J.,
Adler Leta Mckinney
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197911)44:5<1919::aid-cncr2820440555>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - medical prescription , medicine , psychotropic drug , nausea , vomiting , flurazepam , anxiety , prochlorperazine , pharmacy , population , psychiatry , drug , benzodiazepine , anesthesia , pharmacology , family medicine , receptor , environmental health
The present study examined the prescription practices concerning psychotropic drugs in 5 major oncology centers over a 6 month period. During the survey period 1579 patients were admitted to the collaborating institutions, and 51% of them were prescribed at least one psychotropic medication. Hypnotics were the most frequently prescribed drugs, accounting for 48% of total prescriptions, followed by anti‐psychotics at 26% and anti‐anxiety agents at 25%. Anti‐depressant drugs accounted for only 1% of psychotropic prescriptions. Analysis of prescription rationales revealed that 44% of the psychotropic prescriptions were written for sleep, while 25% were given for nausea and vomiting; approximately 17% were attributed to psychological distress, and 12% were associated with diagnostic medical procedures. The overall rate of prescription was approximately 2 psychotropic drugs per patient per admission, with only 2% of prescriptions resulting in chart‐documented side effects. At the level of individual compounds, 3 distinct drugs accounted for 72% of total prescriptions—flurazepam (33%), prochlorperazine (21%), and diazepam (17%).