Use of psychotropic medication in seven English psychiatric intensive care units

Abstract

Aims and methodTo describe the psychotropic medication given to 332 patients admitted consecutively to seven English psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs) by prospective, multicentre case-note analysis.ResultsOverall, 104 (32%) patients received rapid tranquillisation or zuclopenthixol acetate by intramuscular injection; 72 (23%) received more than one regular antipsychotic drug simultaneously. It was reported that 20 patients received high-dose antipsychotic medication, which was probably an underestimate. The use of these interventions varied significantly between different units.Clinical implicationsPotentially risky treatments such as forcible intramuscular medication are a standard part of PICU activity. Further work is needed to clarify the reasons behind the differences in prescribing practices between different PICUs.