Pharmacist-led Review of Drug Utilization of Antipsychotic Medications in a Tertiary Government Hospital in Cebu City, Philippines.
Risperidone was the most frequently prescribed antipsychotic among inpatients with schizophrenia.
Pharmacist-led Review of Drug Utilization of Antipsychotic Medications in a Tertiary Government Hospital in Cebu City, Philippines.
Mental health remains a significant public health concern in the Philippines, with schizophrenia posing major burdens on individuals, families, and society.
The study evaluated the prescribing patterns of antipsychotic medications among inpatients with schizophrenia in a tertiary government hospital in Cebu City, Philippines, which aimed to identify patterns of drug use, potential drug therapy problems, and examine the appropriateness of use.
The study utilized a retrospective observational design.
Significant relationships were found between the number of drugs per medication order and male gender (p = 0.002) and substance abuse disorder (p = 0.07).
Injectable drugs accounted for 19.05% of the total medications.
Drug therapy problems, such as drug-drug interactions (82%) and therapeutic duplication (58%), were prevalent.
There were substance use disorders (9.09%) as a comorbidity among patients studied.
There is a prescribing trend towards second-generation antipsychotics, with risperidone being the most frequently prescribed antipsychotic medication.
Utilization patterns of antipsychotics generally conformed to the WHO standard recommendations.
This study highlights the high consumption of paliperidone palmitate injection, which calls for further research on antipsychotic consumption in patients with comorbid substance use disorder.