Prescription of psychotropic drugs in general practice: A study of the sentinel practice network
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32385/rpmgf.v23i1.10319Keywords:
Doctors Sentinel, Prescription, PharmacotherapyAbstract
Most mental disorders requires the establishment of a psychotropic drug therapy. Considering the importance of the use of psychotropic drugs currently holds the scarcity of published information on this subject, Doctors Network-Sentinel decided to study the pattern of use of this group of drugs. Material and Methods: This study was conducted within the Medical Sentinel Network, a network of general practitioners participating voluntarily in ongoing annual programs notification of diseases and related health situations as well as in clinical research projects and epidemiology. Data collection for this study took place during the months of January, February and March 2004. Results: Diagnoses 'anxiety', 'depression' and 'sleep disturbance' motivated psychotropic prescription respectively in 2556.6 / 105 1675.5 / 1348.7 and 105/105 users. The drug prescribed to a greater number of users was alprazolam (1095.4 / 105) and antidepressants, fluoxetine (332.7 / 105). Over 95% of those with the diagnosis, exclusive, sleep disturbances, anxiety or anxiety and sleep disturbances, were medicated with psychotropic group of psycholeptics (NO5). A 49% of those with the diagnosis, exclusive of depression were prescribed antidepressants only (NO6A), 38% were prescribed both groups of psychotropics and NO5 NO6A. Conclusions: Anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances were, in descending order, the diagnoses that most often motivated psychotropic prescription. The psychotropic drugs prescribed to a greater number of users was alprazolam, and the sub-group of antidepressants fluoxetine was.Downloads
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