Use Of Antipsychotic Polypharmacy Research Articles

Schizophrenia patients discharged on antipsychotic polypharmacy from a public psychiatric hospital in Taiwan, 2006–2021

The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP), investigate whether APP could affect the risk of rehospitalization, and explore temporal trends in APP use. Schizophrenia patients discharged from the study hospital between 2006 and 2021 (n = 16,722) were included in the analysis. The logistic regression model was employed to determine the predictors significantly associated with APP use. Survival analysis was used to compare time to rehospitalization between APP and antipsychotic monotherapy (AMT). The temporal trend of APP use was analyzed using the Cochran-Armitage Trend test. In comparison with the patients (n = 10,909) who were discharged on AMT, those (n = 5,813) on APP were significantly more likely to be male gender, to receive LAIs, to take clozapine, to take anticholinergic agents, to have a greater number of previous hospitalizations, and to have a higher CPZ equivalent dose of antipsychotic prescription. The prescription rate of APP significantly increased from 18.4 % in 2006 to 44.9 % in 2021. Compared with AMT, APP was associated with more clozapine use, more LAI use, higher doses of antipsychotics, and an increased risk of rehospitalization. In addition, the prescription of APP continued to increase during the study period.

Nationwide study on antipsychotic polypharmacy among forensic psychiatric patients

ABSTRACT This nationwide retrospective cross-sectional study examines the prevalence of antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) and demographic, forensic, and clinical factors associated with its practice among Greenlandic forensic psychiatric patients. We collected data from electronic patient files, court documents, and forensic psychiatric assessments. We defined APP as two or more concurrent prescriptions of antipsychotic medication. The study population of 74 patients had a mean age of 41.4 years, and 61 were men. All included patients had either schizophrenia or another ICD-10 F2-diagnosis. We used unpaired t-tests and Chi2 or Fisher’s exact test. The prevalence of APP was 35% (n = 26), and there was a significant association between APP and a prescription of clozapine (Chi2, p = 0.010), olanzapine (Fisher’s test, p = 0.003), and aripiprazole (Fisher’s test, p = 0.013). Furthermore, we found a significant association between APP and prescription of a first-generation antipsychotic (FGA) (Chi2, p = 0.011). Despite recommendations in guidelines, the use of APP is common practice. The majority of forensic psychiatric patients suffer from severe psychiatric disorders, often with other comorbidities, including substance use disorder. The severity and complexity in mental health render forensic psychiatric patients at high risk of APP treatment. Further knowledge on APP use is crucial to secure and further improve the psychopharmacological treatment for this group of patients.

High Risk, High Dose?-Pharmacotherapeutic Prescription Patterns of Offender and Non-Offender Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder.

Compared to acute or community settings, forensic psychiatric settings, in general, have been reported to make greater use of antipsychotic polypharmacy and/or high dose pharmacotherapy, including overdosing. However, there is a scarcity of research specifically on offender patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), although they make up a large proportion of forensic psychiatric patients. Our study, therefore, aimed at evaluating prescription patterns in offender patients compared to non-offender patients with SSD. After initial statistical analysis with null-hypothesis significance testing, we evaluated the interplay of the significant variables and ranked them in accordance with their predictive power through application of supervised machine learning algorithms. While offender patients received higher doses of antipsychotics, non-offender patients were more likely to receive polypharmacologic treatment as well as additional antidepressants and benzodiazepines. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate a homogenous group of offender patients with SSD in comparison to non-offender controls regarding patterns of antipsychotic and other psychopharmacologic prescription patterns.

Readmission Rates of Patients Discharged on Antipsychotic Polypharmacy Compared to Antipsychotic Monotherapy.

Antipsychotic medications are used to treat many psychiatric conditions and are paramount for relapse prevention in patients with mental illnesses. Antipsychotic monotherapy (APM) is a commonly recommended approach, however there is no clear consensus on the use of antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP). A single-center retrospective review was conducted comparing readmission rates of behavioral health patients discharged on APP or APM between August 1st 2019 and July 31st 2021. The primary outcome was the one-year psychiatric readmission rate. Secondary outcomes included further readmission time frame stratification, olanzapine equivalent doses, and use of anticholinergic medications. The total readmission rate was 24.5% (24/98) in the APP group compared to 19.1% (107/560) in the APM group (p = 0.22). Patients discharged on APM were not found to have a statistically significant increase in readmission rate compared to patients discharged on APP. Further research is needed to assess the risks and benefits of APP.

The effect on relapse rate and psychiatric symptomatology: Switching a combination of first- and second-generation antipsychotic polypharmacy to antipsychotic monotherapy in long-term inpatients with schizophrenia and related disorders. A pragmatic randomized open-label trial (SwAP trial)

BackgroundThere is little evidence to support the use of antipsychotic polypharmacy, and there are concerns about safety and side effects. Nonetheless, it is commonly used in the treatment of long-term inpatients with schizophrenia. This study investigated the effects of switching from a combination of first- and second-generation antipsychotics (FGA and SGA) to monotherapy (FGA or SGA) on relapse rates and psychiatric symptomatology. MethodsInstitutionalized patients with chronic psychotic disorders using a combination of SGA and FGA (n = 136) participated in a randomized open-label trial. The SWITCH group discontinued either FGA or SGA, the STAY group continued combination treatment. Relapse and psychotic symptoms were measured at baseline and during follow-up at 3, 6, and 9 months. Psychiatric symptomatology was measured using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Relapse was defined as (i) an increase in BPRS score of at least 2 points on any item, or (ii) an increase of at least 4 points in total BPRS score and an adjustment of antipsychotics. ResultsA logistic regression model, corrected for sex, showed that the probability of relapse was significantly lower in the SWITCH group: 0.29 (95% CI 0.13–0.62). The protective effect of switching to monotherapy was attributable to patients continuing clozapine as monotherapy. For patients who did not experience a relapse nor dropped out, BPRS total scores decreased significantly more in the SWITCH group (p = 0.0001). ConclusionSwitching from a combination of FGA and SGA to monotherapy in long-term inpatients does not increase the relapse rate and may even reduce it.

Antipsychotic Polypharmacy and High-Dose Antipsychotic Regimens in the Residential Italian Forensic Psychiatric Population (REMS).

Few data exist regarding treatment with antipsychotics in forensic psychiatric patient populations with high social dangerousness. We performed a secondary analysis of 681 patients treated with at least one antipsychotic, extracted from a 1-year observational retrospective study, conducted on 730 patients treated in the Italian Residencies for Execution of Security Measures (REMS) (96.4% of the REMS population). We aimed at investigating antipsychotic polypharmacy (prescription of two or more concomitant antipsychotics) and high dose/very high-dose antipsychotics, as well as the possible factors associated with such therapeutic regimens. High dose/very high-dose antipsychotics were defined as a prescribed daily dose to WHO-defined daily dose ratio greater than 1.5 or 3.0, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis was used in three models to test possible predictors of antipsychotic polypharmacy, high-dose antipsychotics, and very high-dose antipsychotic prescription. Antipsychotic polypharmacy resulted in n = 308 (45.2%) of the patients, n = 346 (50.8%) received high-dose antipsychotics, and n = 96 (14.1%) very high-dose antipsychotics. The multivariate analysis disclosed an association between antipsychotic polypharmacy and male gender (odds ratio (OR): 2.75 and 95% CI: 1.34–5.65), long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic prescription (OR: 2.62 and 95% CI: 1.84–3.74), and aggressive behavior in REMS (OR: 1.63 and 95% CI: 1.13–2.36). High-dose antipsychotics were also associated with male gender (OR: 2.01 and 95% CI: 1.02–3.95), LAI antipsychotic prescription (OR: 2.78 and 95% CI: 1.95–3.97), and aggressive behavior in REMS (OR: 1.63 and 95% CI: 1.12–2.36). The use of antipsychotic polypharmacy and high-dose antipsychotics is frequent in the REMS population. These results might depend on regulatory and organizational aspects of the REMS system, including variability in structures, lack of a common model of care, and lack of stratified therapeutic security.

Exploring Hidden Issues in the Use of Antipsychotic Polypharmacy in the Treatment of Schizophrenia.

The mainstay of schizophrenia treatment is pharmacological therapy using various antipsychotics including first- and second-generation antipsychotics which have different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic property leading to differential presentation of adverse events (AEs) and treatment effects such as negative symptoms, cognitive symptoms and cormorbid symptoms. Major treatment guidelines suggest the use of antipsychotic monotherapy (APM) as a gold standard in the treatment of schizophrenia. However, the effects of APM is inadequate and less potent to achieve symptom remission as well as functional recovery in real practice which has been consistently reported in numerous controlled clinical trials, large practical trials, independent small studies and systematic reviews till today. Therefore antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) regardless of the class of antipsychotics has been also commonly utilized for many reasons in real world practice. However, APP has also crucial pitfalls including increase of total psychotics including antipsychotics, high-doses of antipsychotics used, poor compliance, drug-drug interaction and risks for developing AEs, all of which are paradoxically related to poor clinical outcomes, whereas APP has also substantial advantages in reduction of re-hospitalization, severe psychopathology and targeted control of concurrent symptoms. Given currently limited therapeutic options, it is also important to properly utilize APP in order to maximize its clinical utility and minimize its risk for better treatment outcomes for patients with schizophrenia, based on risk/benefit with full understanding of pharmacological and clinical issues on APP. The present paper intends to address intriguing and important issues in the use of APP in real world practice.

Antipsychotic polypharmacy in adult patients diagnosed with schizophrenia: A retrospective study.

Antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) is a common practice in the treatment of schizophrenia. In this study, we aimed to identify the prevalence of APP in our department, as well as the trends associated with co-prescribing antipsychotics. We collected data from the medical records of all 193 inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia who were admitted to Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia Clinical Psychiatry Hospital (Bucharest, Romania), Department 9, during January 2019-December 2019. Demographic characteristics of the patients, clinical diagnosis, psychiatric admission type and duration of hospitalization were examined. Data regarding the antipsychotic regimen at discharge and other psychotropic drugs used were collected. A total of 69 (35.75%) patients received more than 2 antipsychotics upon discharge. Patients treated with APP did not differ in regards to sex, age, education level, employment status, marital status, living situation, type of admission from those receiving antipsychotic monotherapy (APM). Prolonged hospitalization was found to be an independent predictor of APP (P=0.014). Most of the combinations used in our unit included clozapine (47.8%), and the most frequently used treatment in the APP group was the combination of paliperidone and clozapine (14.5%). In the APP group, 30 (43.5%) patients included in their regimen was a long-acting intramuscular antipsychotic. There was no significant difference in terms of the use of mood stabilizers, antiparkinsonian drugs or anxiolytics between the APP and the APM group; yet, a higher prevalence of antidepressant use, although not statistically significant (P=0.067), in the APP group compared to the APM group, was observed. The use of APP as a long-term regimen is a common practice in our department, as it is worldwide. There is a great need for randomized-control trials and evidence-based studies in order to define the safest and most effective combinations of antipsychotics and also the characteristics of patients that may benefit from these combinations.

The use of antipsychotic polypharmacy at Ravenswood House Medium Secure Unit: the extent of use and reporting of outcomes

AimsTo evaluate the use of antipsychotic polypharmacy in Ravenswood House Medium Secure Hospital. We also aimed to review the reporting of the outcomes of their use.BackgroundThe use of antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) continues to be practised within forensic psychiatric inpatient settings yet there is a lack of robust evidence for the benefits of doing so. The practice is also associated with the use of higher total antipsychotic doses beyond the recommended BNF maximum. Such prescribing is associated with an increased side effect burden. Doctors have a duty to justify the ongoing use of antipsychotic polypharmacy and to avoid potentially ineffective and/or harmful use.MethodA cross-sectional review of the medication cards for 51 in-patients at Ravenswood House Hospital was completed. Demographic data and data pertaining to diagnoses and medication was also gathered from the electronic patient records.Result23 patients (45%) in Ravenswood House Hospital were prescribed antipsychotic polypharmacy. 87% of those prescribed antipsychotic polypharmacy had a primary diagnosis of either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. 19 patients (37%) had two regular antipsychotics prescribed. 74% of these prescriptions were above the recommended BNF maximum. 62% were also prescribed a regular benzodiazepine. The vast majority of indications documented for APP were chronic behavioural disturbance and treatment resistant schizophrenia. The majority of these patients were on a T3. There was a significant under reporting of the rationale of prescribing APP. It could be surmised that at least 11 combinations were in part to mitigate side effects, but only 3 had this documented. There was also a lack of documentation or use of rating scales regarding the clinical outcomes and side effects of APP.ConclusionPrescription of antipsychotic polypharmacy is an important issue in secure forensic hospital settings. The lack of clear documentation of clinical effectiveness and side effect burden remains a concern. Wider study is required to establish the benefits of such prescribing to justify its ongoing use.

The challenges in schizophrenia treatment in real-life: The uncomfortable truth

Certain percentage of the first-episode schizophrenia patients presents with negative symptoms, which persists over the year and influence treatment outcomes (Galderisi et al. 2013). Treatment of negative symptoms has been a significant continuous clinical challenge. Majority of recently published guidelines recommend antipsychotic monotherapy as the standard of care, recommending antipsychotic combination therapy only after a failed trial with clozapine (George A. Keepers et al. 2020; Faden et al. 2020). However, real-life forces clinicians to look for possible combinations of medications early on, especially to tackle negative symptoms. The systematic review of global prescribing practices covering four decades found the pooled median rate of antipsychotic combination therapy approximately 20% (Gallego et al. 2012). One of the largest retrospective studies every conducted (n = 62,250) assessed rehospitalisation rates and the long-term use of antipsychotic polypharmacy in schizophrenia. Antipsychotic combination treatment was associated with an approximate 10% lower relative risk of psychiatric rehospitalisation compared with antipsychotic monotherapy (Tiihonen et al. 2019). Real-world effectiveness study of antipsychotic monotherapy vs. polypharmacy in schizophrenia from Eastern Europe is also supporting this approach (Katona, Czobor, and Bitter 2014). At the same time antipsychotic combination therapy can increase the total antipsychotic dose burden, frequency of adverse effects, potential drug-drug interactions and incur additional costs. In our recent naturalistic study in schizophrenia outpatients (n=120) with insufficient effectiveness of previous antipsychotics therapy on negative symptoms, we were able successfully switch therapy form several different antipsychotic combinations to monotherapy and gain clinical benefits (Rancans et al, 2020).DisclosureNo significant relationships.

PDG45 LOW-VALUE CARE: THE ASSOCIATION OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC POLYPHARMACY USE TO ECONOMIC BURDEN IN NON-INSTITUTIONALIZED CIVILIAN POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) use, the concurrent use of two or more antipsychotic medications, is considered low value care. However, the association of this low-value care to healthcare expenditure is unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the association of low-value care (i.e. APP use) and healthcare expenditures among non-institutionalized adults in the United States. We adopted a retrospective longitudinal design with panel data (panels 13-19; years 2008 through 2015; one year baseline and one year follow-up) from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). We included adults (> 18 years) with least one antipsychotic medication in the baseline period and were observed during both baseline and follow-up periods (N = 968). Individuals who used at least two different antipsychotic medications during the baseline period were defined as APP users. Expenditures were measured during the follow-up period. Unadjusted and adjusted models were built using Generalized Linear Models with gamma distribution and log-link for expenditures. Adjusted models were controlled for patient-level demographic-, socio-economic-, health- status, access to care, and lifestyle practices during the baseline. All analyses accounted for complex survey design of the MEPS. APP use was identified in 11.7% of adults who used at least one antipsychotic medication. APP users had higher total expenditures ($11,912 vs. $8,996) compared to no APP users. Adjusted follow-up period total ($13,467 vs. $9962; P=.01), third-party ($9,077 vs. $6,735; P=.02) and out-of-pocket ($6,719 vs. $4276; P=.03) expenditures were higher among APP users compared to those who did not have APP use. In this first population-based study, APP use was significantly associated with higher healthcare expenditures. Future research is needed to capture additional evidence that can improve the optimization of programs to avoid APP and better management of mental diseases for patients who use antipsychotic medications.

Antipsychotic Polypharmacy in Treatment of Schizophrenia; Should or Should Not?

Antipsychotics have been utilized as the standard treatment for schizophrenia regardless of illness phase where antipsychotic monotherapy (APM) is routinely recommended as the gold standard rather than antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP). However, approximately 20 to 40% of patients with schizophrenia do not respond to APM based on randomized controlled clinical trials and large practical clinical trials indicating that the subgroup of patients with schizophrenia would need differential treatment approaches beyond traditional treatment strategies such as APM. Numerous studies have supported the use of APP in particular for patients with certain clinical situations including: failure to show efficacy or tolerability from treatment with APM, need for different treatment for targeting specific symptom domains, severe illness, failure to treatment with clozapine, skepticism about following treatment guidelines, or cross titration periods. Furthermore, recent large cohort studies and practical clinical trials have proposed more benefits of APP rather than APM in terms of rehospitalization, mortality, and specific symptoms. APP has recently become more widely utilized and recognized as one of the next treatment strategies to clinicians for patients with schizophrenia. Some experts have already proposed the revision of treatment guidelines incorporating APP as evidence-based treatment option for certain patients with schizophrenia. Taken together, APP now deserves an evidence-based and acceptable treatment strategy, not an empirical or preferential treatment approach for treatment of schizophrenia in contemporary clinical practice.

Antipsychotic Polypharmacy: A Dirty Little Secret or a Fashion?

The term polypharmacy was originally coined to refer to problems related to multiple drug consumption and excessive drug use during the treatment of a disease or disorder. In the treatment of schizophrenia, polypharmacy usually refers to the simultaneous use of 2 or more antipsychotic medications or combined (adjunct) medications such as mood stabilizers, antidepressants, anxiolytics, or hypnotics in addition to single or multiple antipsychotics. Two decades ago, antipsychotic polypharmacy was criticized as being more expensive, having unproven efficacy, and causing more side effects. However, in recent years, antipsychotic polypharmacy has become more or less acceptable in the views of clinical practitioners and academic researchers. Results from recent reviews have suggested that the common practice of antipsychotic polypharmacy lacks double-blind or high-quality evidence of efficacy, except for negative symptom reduction with aripiprazole augmentation. We reviewed some representative studies that enrolled large numbers of patients and compared antipsychotic polypharmacy and monotherapy during the past decade. The results revealed that a certain proportion of select patients can benefit from antipsychotic polypharmacy without further negative consequences. Because most of the current treatment guidelines from different countries and organizations prefer monotherapy and discourage all antipsychotic polypharmacy, guidelines regarding the use of antipsychotic polypharmacy in clinical practice should be revised. On the basis of the findings of 2 large-scale studies from Asia and Europe, we also suggest ideal rates of various maintenance treatments of schizophrenia, which are as follows: antipsychotic polypharmacy, 30%; combined mood stabilizer, 15%; combined antidepressant, 10%; combined anxiolytics, 30%; and combined hypnotic, 10%.

Antipsychotic Polypharmacy in Older Adult Asian Patients With Schizophrenia: Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Pattern.

Antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) is a controversial topic in the treatment of older adults with schizophrenia. The objective of this study was to examine the use of APP in older adult Asian patients with schizophrenia and its associated demographic and clinical factors. This study was based on the fourth survey of the consortium known as the Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Pattern for Antipsychotics. Fifteen Asian countries/territories participated in this survey, including Bangladesh, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Basic demographic and clinical characteristics were collected using a standardized data collection form. Among the 879 older adults with schizophrenia included in the survey, the rate of APP was 40.5%. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that higher antipsychotic doses (P < .001, odds ratio [OR] = 1.003, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002-1.003), longer duration of illness (P = .02, OR = 1.845, 95% CI: 1.087-3.132), and the prescription of anticholinergics (P < .001, OR = 1.871, 95% CI: 1.329-2.635), second-generation antipsychotics (P = .001, OR = 2.264, 95% CI: 1.453-3.529), and first-generation antipsychotics (P < .001, OR = 3.344, 95% CI: 2.307-4.847) were significantly associated with APP. Antipsychotic polypharmacy was common in older adult Asian patients with schizophrenia. Compared to the results of previous surveys, the use of APP showed a declining trend over time. Considering the general poor health status of older patients with schizophrenia and their increased risk of drug-induced adverse events, the use of APP in this population needs careful consideration.

Psychotropic medication treatment patterns in community-dwelling schizophrenia in China: comparisons between rural and urban areas

BackgroundTo date no study has compared more specifically the psychotropic medication treatment patterns for patients with schizophrenia living in community between rural and urban areas. This study examined the rural-urban differences of the use of psychotropic drugs among community-dwelling individuals with schizophrenia in China.MethodData on 993 community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia (n = 479 in rural area and n = 514 urban area) were collected by interviews during 2013–2014, and 2015–2016 according to the diagnosis of DSM-IV or ICD-10. Data on patients’ socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, prescriptions of psychotropic drugs were collected using a standardized protocol and data acquisition procedure.ResultsMultivariate analyses revealed that in comparison with the rural counterparts, the patients from the urban area were significantly more frequently prescribed antipsychotic polypharmacy, clozapine, and benzodiazepines, but the patients from the rural area had more frequently prescribed anticholinergics.ConclusionsSubstantial variations in psychotropic medication treatment patterns for patients with schizophrenia living in community were found between rural and urban areas in China. Common use of antipsychotic polypharmacy, clozapine and benzodiazepines in urban area, and anticholinergics in rural area need to be further addressed.

PMH47 PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIPSYCHOTIC POLYPHARMACY IN THE UNITED STATES

Antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP), concurrent use of two or more antipsychotic medications, is considered low value care. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with APP among non-institutionalized civilian adults with any antipsychotic use. This study had a retrospective cross-sectional design and used the data from 2008 – 2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The sample consisted 3130 adults over age 21 years. APP was defined as concurrent use of two or more medications within a round consisting of nearly 180 days. The Andersen's model for health service use was used to examine the association between predisposing, enabling, need, personal health behavior and environmental factors with APP use. Logistic regression models were conducted examine the factors associated with APP. Analysis accounted for the complex survey design of the MEPS. Overall, 9.6% of the study sample reported APP. APP declined from 15.0% in 2008 to 7.0% in 2015 (p =.06). In adjusted logistic regression model, increasing age (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) =0.98, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = [0.97, 1.00]) significantly decreased odds of receiving APP. In terms of physical health status, individuals with poor or fair status had a significantly higher odds of APP (AOR =1.68, 95% CI = [1.00, 3.80])) compared to those with excellent or very good status. Moreover, those who were unemployed (AOR =1.95, 95% CI = [1.02, 3.72]), with depression (AOR =2.12, 95% CI = [1.37, 3.30]), and with schizophrenia (AOR =3.44, 95% CI = [2.23, 5.23]) had significantly higher odds of APP use. Approximately, one in 10 adults reported APP between 2008 and 2015. Policies, and interventions outside the health sector such as improving (example: employment) may be considered to reduce APP. Future well-designed studies are may need to adopt a population-health framework to identity patient level and social determinants of APP.

Trends in and Predictors of Long-Term Antipsychotic Polypharmacy Use Among Ohio Medicaid Patients with Schizophrenia, 2008–2014

The study examined trends and patterns in long-term antipsychotic polypharmacy among Ohio Medicaid patients with schizophrenia and predictors of use. A study using a retrospective cohort design and Medicaid claims data was conducted for a cohort of 25,062 adults with a schizophrenic disorder receiving antipsychotic medication between 2008 and 2014. Long-term antipsychotic polypharmacy was defined as simultaneous treatment with two or more antipsychotic medications for ≥90 days. Annual trends in antipsychotic polypharmacy were estimated. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify patient demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy. The prevalence of antipsychotic polypharmacy decreased significantly from 29.5% in 2008 (2,715 of 9,211) to 24.9% in 2014 (2,866 of 11,500) (adjusted odds ratio=.98, 99% confidence interval=.97-.99, p<.001). Factors significantly associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy included younger age, male sex, disabled status, rural residence, a schizophrenic disorder other than schizoaffective disorder, a greater number of general medical comorbidities, treatment with more psychotropic medication classes, and more outpatient mental health treatment and emergency department visits. Antipsychotic polypharmacy was significantly less likely for African Americans or those from other racial minority groups compared with whites, for those with substance use disorders compared with others, and for those with a greater number of inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations. Antipsychotic polypharmacy declined for pharmacologically treated individuals with schizophrenia in Ohio Medicaid between 2008 and 2014, but it remained inordinately prevalent given existing treatment guidelines that recommend antipsychotic monotherapy as the standard of care for patients with schizophrenia.

Long-term antipsychotic polypharmacy prescribing in secondary mental health care and the risk of mortality.

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between long‐term antipsychotic polypharmacy use and mortality; and determine whether this risk varies by cause of death and antipsychotic dose.MethodsUsing data from a large anonymised mental healthcare database, we identified all adult patients with serious mental illness (SMI) who had been prescribed a single antipsychotic or polypharmacy, for six or more months between 2007 and 2014. Multivariable Cox regression models were constructed, adjusting for sociodemographic, socioeconomic, clinical factors and smoking, to examine the association between APP use and the risk of death.ResultsWe identified 10 945 adults with SMI who had been prescribed long‐term antipsychotic monotherapy (76.9%) or APP (23.1%). Patients on long‐term APP had a small elevated risk of mortality, which was significant in some but not all models. The adjusted hazard ratios for death from natural and unnatural causes associated with APP were 1.2 (0.9–1.4, P = 0.111) and 1.1 (0.7–1.9, P = 0.619) respectively. The strengths of the associations between APP and mortality outcomes were similar after further adjusting for % BNF antipsychotic dose (P = 0.031) or olanzapine equivalence (P = 0.088).ConclusionThe findings suggest that the effect of long‐term APP on mortality is not clear‐cut, with limited evidence to indicate an association, even after controlling for the effect of dose.

Prevalence and correlates of antipsychotic polypharmacy in Hong Kong.

Antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) remains a common practice despite inconclusive empirical evidence of additional efficacy and potential exacerbation of side effects. Previous studies suggest APP rate is notably high in East Asia. This paper aims to investigate the prevalence and correlates of APP in Hong Kong. This was a cross-sectional study of 728 patients with psychosis. The demographics and clinical information, including age, gender, diagnosis, hospitalization history, and medication were collected. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to study correlates of APP. The APP rate for psychosis was 24.2% (n = 728) and that for schizophrenia was 26.0% (n = 611), both considerably lower than our previous local data and that from East Asian regions. The most widely used APP prescription fell within the atypical/atypical combination (i.e., Amisulpride/Clozapine and Paliperidone/Olanzapine), and Olanzapine was the most commonly prescribed antipsychotic. At least 75% of APP patients with psychosis took at least one type of atypical antipsychotics in their medical regimen. Typical/typical polypharmacy was associated with older age and use of antiparkinson drugs. Typical/atypical polypharmacy was associated with the use of antiparkinson drugs and anxiolytics, as well as inpatient status. Atypical/atypical polypharmacy was associated with younger age, inpatient status, and the use of mood stabilizers. Overall, our study highlights a relatively low APP rate in Hong Kong when compared to other countries in East Asia. Age, inpatient status and use of antiparkinson drugs, anxiolytics and mood stabilizers were associated with use of APP.

Relationship Between Antipsychotic Medications and Cerebrovascular Disease in Patients With Serious Mental Illness.

Cerebrovascular disease (CVD), especially in its asymptomatic forms, is relatively common in patients with serious mental illness (SMI). Nevertheless, the literature on this topic is scarce and sometimes contradictory. Antipsychotic medications, especially atypical agents, play an important role in the overall cardiovascular health of these patients. The goal of this study was to analyze the frequency of CVD in patients with and without SMI. This retrospective cohort study compared the frequency of CVD, including silent forms, in a group of patients without mental illness and without a history of taking antipsychotic medication, with another group of patients diagnosed with SMI who had received antipsychotic treatment. The 2 groups were matched for age and sex, and the mean age of the subjects in the 2 groups was 63 years. The frequency of CVD was the same in both groups and it was not modified by the use of antipsychotic medications. A nonsignificant trend toward an association between CVD and prolonged use of antipsychotic polypharmacy was found. In this study, in contrast to previous reports, use of antipsychotic medications and the presence of SMI were not associated with an increased risk of CVD.