Grant: Operating Grant

Persistent antipsychotic polypharmacy is the practice of prescribing more than one antipsychotic to a patient for an extended period of time. Presumably, physicians used this strategy to treat patients with schizophrenia that may be refractory to treatment with a single antipsychotic. However, the Canadian Psychiatric Association clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia state that antipsychotic polypharmacy should be the 'last strategy' used to treat patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, there is very little evidence in the medical literature to support this practice that is known to be associated with excessive dosing and side effects. Using province-wide data, our research will determine the prevalence of persistent antipsychotic polypharmacy in both out- and inpatients in British Columbia. We will evaluate reasons physicians give for this prescribing practice as well as assess its associated benefits and risks. Our goal is to gain insight into this prescribing practice so that we can optimize antipsychotic treatment to improve mental health outcomes for patients affected with schizophrenia and related psychoses.