High-dose antipsychotic medication

Abstract

We audited the use of high-dose antipsychotic drugs in patients admitted to a special (intensive) care unit over two periods. Five out of 57 patients in the first sample and three out of 62 in the second were treated with a single antipsychotic drug above the British National Formulary maximum dose. The proportion of patients treated with antipsychotic drugs such that the total dose in chlorpromazine equivalents was greater than 1000 mg, fell. The audit showed improvements in clinical practice, particularly with respect to the onset of, indication for and outcome of high-dose treatment and in monitoring the patients' physical status.