Abstract
Court decisions setting limits on the use of medication in psychiatric hospitals often assume that psychiatrists use medications inappropriately in response to patients' violent acts. No empirical data have existed to support or refute this assumption. The authors examined the types and doses of antipsychotic medications received by 45 violent patients and 48 control subjects. They found no significant differences in type and dose of medication before the violent act and no significant changes afterward. Violent patients tended to be on somewhat higher doses at discharge than control patients. The judicial concern that psychotropic medications will automatically be abused or overused is not supported by these results.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
