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An audit of the use of antipsychotics in a geriatric psychiatry continuing care unit in Scotland
Author(s) -
Connelly Pete R. J.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.930070611
Subject(s) - irritability , psychiatry , antipsychotic , medicine , aggression , audit , geriatric psychiatry , depression (economics) , population , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychology , anxiety , management , environmental health , economics , macroeconomics
Behaviour problems, dependency levels and use of antipsychotic medication were assessed, using an audit approach, in 104 patients in a geriatric psychiatry continuing care unit. High levels of dependency and behaviour disturbance were found. 37.5% of the population were receiving regular antipsychotic medication. The severity of a cluster of four symptoms (diurnal restlessness, agitation, irritability and active aggression) tended to discriminate this group from those on no antipsychotics, though frequency of problems and total number of problems were also higher in the group on regular antipsychotics. Antidepressants were rarely used, though conversely there was only one case of ‘missed’ depression. Changes following the audit are described and recommendations for improved monitoring of medication use are made.