Dataset Information

On- and off-label utilisation of antipsychotics in Australia (2000-2021): Retrospective analysis of two medication datasets.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine antipsychotic utilisation patterns in Australian adults from 2005 to 2021, with a focus on on-label and off-label prescriptions.

Methods

We examined antipsychotic dispensing trends in adults from 2005 to 2021 using a 10% sample of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) dataset, which contains patient-level information on medicines dispensed throughout Australia. The lack of diagnostic information in PBS was substituted by analysing BEACH (Bettering the Evaluation And Care of Health) dataset, a cross-sectional national survey from 2000 to 2016, consisting of data from general practitioner-patient encounters.

Results

There were 5.6 million dispensings for 164,993 patients in PBS throughout this period; 69% patients had >1 dispensing, with a median of 6 per patient. Calculating the estimated period of exposure gave a total of 693,562 treatment episodes, with a median duration of 80 days. There were steady increases in both the incidence and prevalence of antipsychotic dispensings, mainly due to oral second-generation antipsychotics. The most commonly prescribed antipsychotics were quetiapine, olanzapine and risperidone, with a significant portion of patients receiving low-dose quetiapine without dose titration. Analysis of diagnostic indications from BEACH indicated that 27% of antipsychotic prescriptions were off-label for indications such as depression, dementia, anxiety and insomnia, at much lower prescribed daily dosages.

Conclusion

The increasing prescribing and off-label use highlights concerns about chronic adverse effects caused by antipsychotics. The combined analysis of medication dispensings and the diagnostic indications for which they are prescribed is a novel approach and throws a spotlight on the need for additional monitoring of antipsychotics.

SUBMITTER: Radha Krishnan RP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10960313 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

On- and off-label utilisation of antipsychotics in Australia (2000-2021): Retrospective analysis of two medication datasets.

Radha Krishnan Ramya Padmavathy RP Harrison Christopher C Buckley Nicholas N Raubenheimer Jacques Eugene JE

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry 20231109 4

<h4>Objective</h4>To determine antipsychotic utilisation patterns in Australian adults from 2005 to 2021, with a focus on on-label and off-label prescriptions.<h4>Methods</h4>We examined antipsychotic dispensing trends in adults from 2005 to 2021 using a 10% sample of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) dataset, which contains patient-level information on medicines dispensed throughout Australia. The lack of diagnostic information in PBS was substituted by analysing BEACH (Bettering the Eva ...[more]

PMID: 37941354

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Dataset Information

On- and off-label utilisation of antipsychotics in Australia (2000-2021): Retrospective analysis of two medication datasets.

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

On- and off-label utilisation of antipsychotics in Australia (2000-2021): Retrospective analysis of two medication datasets.

Similar Datasets

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