The Psychiatrist (1995) 19: 740-743. doi: 10.1192/pb.19.12.740
© 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lawton, J.
Right arrow Articles by Naik, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Lawton, J.
Right arrow Articles by Naik, P.

A survey of the prescribing of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors by psychiatrists

John Lawton, Clinical Services Pharmacist

Nottingham Healthcare NHS Trust, The Wells Road Centre, Wells Road, Nottingham NG3 3AA

Prakash Naik, Consultant Psychiatrist

Lyndon Clinic, Hobs Meadow, Solihull, West Midlands B92 8PW

Questionnaires were sent to 92 doctors asking them about aspects of their antidepressant prescribing; 72 returned them. Sixty had prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the previous year. The ratio of SSRIs to all antidepressants prescribed in the previous year exceeded 40% in only eight doctors. Inability to tolerate and failure to respond to established antidepressants were the most common indications for prescribing SSRIs. Side effects and cost were the most common reasons deterring doctors from prescribing SSRIs. SSRIs being new products and doubts regarding their efficacy were factors that were significantly more likely to deter ‘doctors of other grades’ than consultants from prescribing them. Fluoxetine and paroxetine were the most frequently prescribed SSRIs.