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Antipsychotic prescription for children, adolescents

Date:
January 30, 2014
Source:
Deutsches Aerzteblatt International
Summary:
Increasing numbers of children and adolescents are being given antipsychotic drugs in Germany, as Christian Bachmann and colleagues found out in a study. The authors used routine insurance data of the Barmer GEK statutory health insurance company to analyze antipsychotic prescriptions for this age group from 2005 to 2012.
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Increasing numbers of children and adolescents are being given antipsychotic drugs in Germany, as Christian Bachmann and colleagues found out in a study published in the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. The authors used routine insurance data of the Barmer GEK statutory health insurance company to analyze antipsychotic prescriptions for this age group from 2005 to 2012.

The percentage of children and adolescents receiving a prescription for an antipsychotic drug over the course of one calendar year rose from 0.23% to 0.32%. The rise was most marked among 10- to 14-year-olds (from 0.24% to 0.43%) and 15- to 19-year-olds (from 0.34% to 0.54%). In particular, there was an increase in prescriptions for atypical antipsychotics (from 0.10% to 0.24%). The most commonly prescribed substances were risperidone, pipamperone, quetiapine, and tiapride. These figures for Germany are low in comparison with figures from the USA, but are in the middle range of figures from European countries.

Only a small number of antipsychotic drugs have been approved for use in children and adolescents; in this age group, antipsychotic drugs are often given off label. The authors point out that antipsychotic drugs can cause side effects including extrapyramidal motor symptoms (early and tardive dyskinesia, akathisia), weight gain, and hyperlipidemia. The older approved drugs can also have major adverse effects. Thus, the indication for an antipsychotic drug should be determined by a child and adolescent psychiatrist, or other expert for behavioral disorders in this age group, after careful consideration of the risks and benefits. If this is done, the prescription of an antipsychotic drug can be justifiable, as long as the patient is carefully monitored for the appearance of undesired effects.


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Materials provided by Deutsches Aerzteblatt International. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Lehmkuhl, G; Schubert, I. Psychotropic Medication in Children and Adolescents. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, January 2014

Cite This Page:

Deutsches Aerzteblatt International. "Antipsychotic prescription for children, adolescents." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 30 January 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140130121346.htm>.
Deutsches Aerzteblatt International. (2014, January 30). Antipsychotic prescription for children, adolescents. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140130121346.htm
Deutsches Aerzteblatt International. "Antipsychotic prescription for children, adolescents." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140130121346.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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