Off-Label Use of Second-Generation Antipsychotics in Borderline Personality Disorder: A Survey of Italian Psychiatrists

Abstract

The guidelines for borderline personality disorder (BPD) treatment suggest non-pharmacological treatment as the first option, but second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are among the overprescribed medications. This study aimed to explore Italian psychiatrists' attitudes toward off-label use of SGAs in BPD. A randomly selected sample of Italian psychiatrists completed a questionnaire regarding off-label prescription of SGAs. Most respondents reported the off-label use of SGAs. Among the reasons supporting the prescription of SGAs, the presence of strong published data was the most determining factor (51.5%). The SGA olanzapine is considered the most appropriate, followed by quetiapine and aripiprazole. Although off-label prescription of SGAs represents a common clinical practice in accordance with a worldwide trend, the use of long-acting injection formulations was considered inappropriate by 69% of psychiatrists in our sample. Our results reiterate the discrepancy between everyday clinical practice and international recommendations, and show how relevant the literature is in off-label drug prescription.