Short communication, Note

POLYPHARMACY IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS IN THREE UNIVERSITY CENTERS IN THE FEDERATION OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (F/BH)

Svjetlana Loga-Zec ; Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Slobodan Loga ; Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Background: Polypharmacy in psychiatry is becoming the rule rather than the exception. Using more drugs at same time usually
occurs where single drugs are considered insufficiently effective.
Subjects and methods: The sample consisted of 216 patients: 85 from Sarajevo, and 44 and 87 respectively from Mostar and
Tuzla. All schizophrenic patients who were hospitalised in three University Centers of F/BiH (Sarajevo, Tuzla, Mostar) on a
particular day are included in the study. This included patients of both sexes (131 (60.65%) males and 85 females (39.35%)), 20-60
ages, who were on antipsychotic treatment with an established diagnosis of schizophrenia by the treating psychiatrist. The research
was performed in the year 2004. The census of patients was conducted simultaneously in all three Centers, using a questionnaire in
which all routine prescribed antipsychotics were registered, as the common method of the administration, and the doses as well
saving as data for other medications that were simultaneously prescribed to the patients that day.
Results: Within the total sample the most frequently applied classical antipsychotics were haloperidol, promazine and from the
group of new antipsychotics clozapine. The most frequently used other medications were biperidine and diazepam. The
administration of all medication was followed through recording of individual doses, daily doses and frequency of administration.
There are statistically significant differences regarding the frequency of biperidine use between the centers (p=0.008) .
Conclusion: In three University Clinical Centers of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo, Tuzla and Mostar), the
applied rule is that more drugs in the treatment of schizophrenic psychosis and doing polypharmacy is the inevitable approach to
treatment. The concept behind the polypharmacy is based on the fact that antipsychotic drugs do not cover all the symptoms of
schizophrenic psychosis, and that additional medications may correct iatrogenic side effects caused by antipsychotic drugs. It is
expected that the new atypical antipsychotics will treat much broader symptoms of psychosis and will not cause extrapyramidal side
effects, as do the typical antipsychotics.

Keywords

Schizoprenic patients; antipsychotics; polypharmacy (co-adminsitration)

Hrčak ID:

76496

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/76496

Publication date:

31.3.2011.

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