Use of Unusual Antipsychotic Drugs in French Psychiatric Hospitals

Of 1475 adult inpatients' prescriptions with an antipsychotic drug, 647 involved atypical antipsychotics (AAP), with risperidone and olanzapine making up about 70% of these cases.

• Atypical antipsychotic prescriptions were primarily for psychotic patients, accounting for 65% of cases.
• Patients prescribed AAPs for psychosis were generally younger and more likely to be male than those treated for other conditions.
• Those receiving AAPs for psychosis were also prescribed higher daily doses and more often received additional neuroleptic and anticholinergic medications.
• Only 9.1% of AAP prescriptions were for bipolar disorders, with clozapine not being utilized for this indication.
• In bipolar disorder cases, AAPs were often prescribed alongside mood stabilizers rather than as replacements.

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