Abstract | BACKGROUND: The use of antipsychotics, namely newer atypical agents, has increased significantly in children and adolescents. It is important to examine diagnoses associated with antipsychotic treatment in youths. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate trends in psychiatric diagnoses of children and adolescents in a public mental health system who were prescribed antipsychotics. METHODS: Children and adolescents, up to the age of 19 years, who were prescribed an antipsychotic between January 1998 and December 2001 were identified using the Texas Medicaid Vendor Drug database. Patient identification numbers were then cross-linked to the Client Assignment and Registration database of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation to extract diagnostic data. RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: Although disruptive behavioral disorders accounted for a large percentage of antipsychotic use in this population, these findings suggest that antipsychotics are being used to treat other psychiatric diagnoses, for which limited supporting data exist. Future research in children and adolescents should aim to provide needed efficacy and safety data of antipsychotics across the spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Authors | Nick C Patel, M Lynn Crismon, Alan Shafer |
Journal | The Annals of pharmacotherapy
(Ann Pharmacother)
Vol. 40
Issue 2
Pg. 205-11
(Feb 2006)
ISSN: 1060-0280 [Print] United States |
PMID | 16434563
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Antipsychotic Agents
(administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Databases, Factual
- Drug Utilization
(trends)
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Medicaid
- Mental Disorders
(diagnosis, drug therapy, epidemiology)
- Texas
(epidemiology)
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