High Rates of Polypharmacy Found Among Adults With Intellectual Disability Seeking Psychiatric Care

In this study and a prior study, polypharmacy rates were not associated with the severity of intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder.The study sample consisted of 517 outpatients (199 females; 318 males) aged 15 to 73 in an urban, tertiary-level mental health care facility in Ontario, Canada. Before receiving specialist care, these individuals with intellectual disability received their medications from either family physicians or general psychiatrists. Of the 70% of the study patients prescribed at least one psychotropic medication, 146 (40%) had no psychiatric diagnosis on their intake form. One hundred and twelve (22%) referred to the service received three or more psychotropic medications concurrently, 30 of them without having any psychiatric diagnosis. The most commonly prescribed medication class was antipsychotics (n=275, 53%), followed by antidepressants (n=151, 29%). The most common interclass polypharmacy combination was antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and antidepressants (n=52). “Although there are circumstances in which psychotropic polypharmacy may be warranted, guidelines suggest that intraclass polypharmacy be avoided, that medications for behavior management be offered in combination with psychological or other interventions, and that there be regular monitoring of m edication use, with the goal of reducing multiple medications when possible,” the authors wrote. “Both psychiatrists and family physicians can play a role in the jud...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: anxiety disorders Canada intellectual disabilities mood disorders polypharmacy Psychiatric Services in Advance psychotic disorders Yona Lunsky Source Type: research