Characteristics of Clinical-pharmacological Recommendations in Psychiatry in Germany

Objective: Psychiatric patients in general, and elderly psychiatric patients in particular, are at risk of adverse drug reactions due to comorbidities and inappropriate polypharmacy. Interdisciplinary and clinical-pharmacologist-led medication reviews may contribute to medication safety in the field of psychiatry. In this study, we reported the frequency and characteristics of clinical-pharmacological recommendations in psychiatry, with a particular focus on geriatric psychiatry.

Method: A clinical pharmacologist, in collaboration with the attending psychiatrists and a consulting neurologist, conducted interdisciplinary medication reviews in a general psychiatric ward with a geropsychiatric focus at a university hospital over a 25-week period. All clinical and pharmacological recommendations were recorded and evaluated.

Results: A total of 316 recommendations were made during 374 medication reviews. Indications/contraindications of drugs were the most frequently discussed topics (59/316; 18.7 %), followed by dose reductions (37/316; 11.7 %), and temporary or permanent discontinuation of medications (36/316; 11.4 %). The most frequent recommendations for dose reduction benzodiazepines (9/37; 24.3 %). An unclear or absent indication was the most common reason for recommending temporary or permanent discontinuation of the medication (6/36; 16.7 %).

Conclusion: Interdisciplinary clinical pharmacologist-led medication reviews represented a valuable contribution to medication management in psychiatric patients, particularly the elderly ones.