Publication

Abstract : Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects millions around the world, both males and females. A combination of genetic and environmental factors can play a role in the development of schizophrenia. The treatment of schizophrenia consists of an acute phase, a maintenance phase. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the prescribing pattern in schizophrenic patients, to classify the various types of schizophrenia, evaluate the various symptoms associated, and to study the ADRs associated with antipsychotic treatment. A retrospective 8-month study conducted on inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia at psychiatric department in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala. Patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Data collection was carried out for a period of 2 years from 2013 January to 2014 December. A total of 156 patients were included in the study for which majority of the patients (28.8%) belong to the age group of 21-30 years. Olanzapine (32.46%) was the most commonly prescribed drug followed by Risperidone (22.07). 98% of patients were prescribed with antipsychotics combination therapy to improve their therapeutic outcomes and to reduce associated side-effects. Lorazepam was the most commonly prescribed drug that accounts for about 35.89% of total prescriptions, followed by clonazepam to produce a calming effect in aggressive patients. Lithium amp; bupropion (5.12%) was the most commonly prescribed mood stabilizer, followed by sodium valproate (3.84%). A single case of olanzapine induced pancytopenia was observed having a score of 8 (probable) using the Naranjo causality assessment scale. From this study, we observe that atypical drug use has been continuously expanding. The rapidly increasing use of this newer class of antipsychotics needs a better evaluation regarding their safety profile. So, monitoring of adverse drug reactions is necessary for patient safety. This study also plays an important role in planning the budget of a health care system. © 2016, International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research.