antipsychotics
Managing changed behaviour in ACFs
How can pharmacists improve the use of antipsychotics and other medicines, particularly mirtazapine, in residential aged care? This is part two of a focus on the use of antipsychotics and …
Making inroads in mental health awareness
Whether it’s simply asking, “Are you ok?”, making a referral, or optimising therapy, pharmacists can be the custodians of their patients’ mental wellbeing According to the National Health Survey, one …
Clinical tips: Pharmacists and antipsychotic medicines
Medicines adherence is vital for people taking antipsychotics, writes Carlene McMaugh: she presents tips on management within the community pharmacy and general practice settings Psychotic illnesses can be challenging to …
‘Groundhog day’ as antipsychotic use, polypharmacy revealed
Half the people on antipsychotics in residential aged care do not have a diagnosis of psychosis, new research has shown The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is renewing its call for …
Clinical tips: Medicines affecting weight
Weight gain as a side effect of medicines is an important fact in adherence to medication therapy or for people to seek alternative options to existing therapy, writes Carlene McMaugh …
Research Roundup
Debbie Rigby rounds up the latest in research news High Use of SABAs is Associated with Higher Exacerbation Rate Dutch data from the REALISE survey of adults with asthma shows …
Clozapine implicated in accidental deaths
More than half of fatal drug poisonings involving the antipsychotic clozapine are unintentional, according to new research based on Australian coronial data Among fatal drug poisonings reported in Australia over …
Clinical tips: Antipsychotics
Ben Basger casts a critical eye on the use of antipsychotic medicines in non-psychotic illness Antipsychotics are prescribed for their sedative and tranquillising effects in very disturbed or aggressive patients; …
Recommended: an expert pharmacist presence
The Final Report into the aged care sector makes several recommendations about the involvement of pharmacists, including medication management reviews The Final Report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care …
Call for pharmacist funding in aged care
As the final hearing into the aged care sector takes place, stakeholders are calling for change – with one group calling for nothing less than a complete overhaul of the …
‘The most extreme case of the misuse of psychotropic medication that I have ever seen.’
Pharmacists, and accredited pharmacists in particular, need to be empowered to report inappropriate prescribing of psychotropics in people with intellectual disability if they perceive it to be abuse and/or neglect, …
Without need or consent: antipsychotic findings
Residents in an aged care study had been on antipsychotics equivalent to more than 80% of the time they had been living in care… and medicines reviews weren’t helping Researchers …