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Neuroleptic drug use in psychiatric intensive therapy units: problems with complying with the consensus statement

Department of Psychiatry, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, London NW3 2QG

Chris Evans, Senior Lecturer

Department of Mental Health Sciences, St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0QT

^* Correspondence

The pharmacological management of acute behavioural disturbance in psychosis is not straightforward. The real, or perceived, dose:effect relationship of the various neuroleptics in common use has an important influence on prescribing patterns leading, in certain situations, to very high doses of neuroleptic medication being prescribed. Data from a study of the use of neuroleptic medication in two psychiatric intensive therapy units illustrate the potential extent of the problem. Over half of the cases were not amenable to accurate dosage monitoring due to the use of depot neuroleptics, Clopixol Acuphase or polypharmacy. The majority received doses exceeding the limit suggested by the British National Formulary. Efforts to standardise the use of such drugs would help to optimise the clinical management of this challenging group of patients.