980 – Psychotropic Polypharmacy In Patients With Severe Mental Illness. a Controlled Intervention Study Aimed To Reduce The Use Of Psychotropic Medication

Abstract

Background

Patients with mental illness receive psychotropic medicine in high dosages and from more than one drug. Additionally the patients have high level of obesity which is a contributing factor to increased physical morbidities and premature death.

Aim

Quantify the use of psychotropic medicine in patients with severe mental illness. Measure the effect of an intervention to reduce psychotropic medicine.

Methods

Intervention study with six facilities for patients diagnosed with mental illnesses. The intervention period was one year.

Results

At index many patients had obesity and waist circumference were in average 109 cm. Mean values of antipsychotic daily doses/ defined daily doses PDD/DDD was 2.5. The rate of antipsychotic excessive dosing was 65% and 88% of the patients were treated with psychotropic poly-pharmacy. The intervention didn’t show any effect as there were no difference between the changes in the intervention group and the control group.

Conclusions

The patients were treated with antipsychotic poly-pharmacy in high dosages. The intervention did not show any effect. We must think of new ways to restrict the treatment with psychotropics to this group of patients.