Is the use of long-acting injectable antipsychotic extended in the outpatient treatment of bipolar disorder? A brief description

AimsObtain and analyze information on treatment guidelines, with particular emphasis on the use of antipsychotics, in patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder I and bipolar disorder II who are treated at a mental health center in a district of Madrid (Spain) under the conditions of habitual clinical practice.Then, compare with recently published literature.MethodsWe performed a descriptive study of a sample of 100 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (type I and type II) at any stage of the disease who receive regular treatment in a mental health center in a district of Madrid. Information regarding the treatment used, especially the use of antipsychotics (either in a single therapy or in combination with other drugs such as mood stabilizers, antidepressants, hypnotics or anxiolytics), was collected retrospectively from the data obtained from the medical record.ResultsNinety-four percent of patients are taking mood stabilizer treatment (68% lithium, 24% valproate, 1% and 1% carbamazepine and lamotrigine). Four percent take lithium and valproate in combination. Forty-eight percent of patients are taking some antipsychotic (atypical about 90%). Of these, only 10% in injectable form, and 5% take both oral and injectable antipsychotics.ConclusionsThe diminished use of injectable antipsychotics, well below recent publications, draws the attention. You can probably explain this low proportion of injectable medication because we are generally dealing with stable patients with a long-term disorder.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Long-acting injectable aripiprazole. Clinical experience in a case series

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.2296 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. S614-S614

Author(s):

J.M. Hernández Sánchez ◽

M.C. Cancino Botello ◽

M.F. Molina López ◽

D. Peña Serrano ◽

M. Machado Vera

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Center ◽

Mental Health Center ◽

Case Series ◽

Antipsychotic Agent ◽

Clinical History ◽

Concomitant Treatment ◽

Patient Profile ◽

Competing Interest ◽

Long Acting

IntroductionThe use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics is useful in patients with low therapeutic compliance.ObjectiveTo present the demographic and clinical data of a case series in which long-acting injectable aripiprazole has been prescribed in an ambulatory Mental Health Center.MethodsSystematic review of the related literature and clinical history of patients in which long-acting injectable aripiprazole had been prescribed from January to March 2015 in a Mental Health Center.ResultsWe found 10 patients, whose diagnosis were schizophrenia (4), non-specified psychosis (2), personality disorder (1), bipolar disorder (1), schizoaffective disorder (2), of whom 7 were men and 3 women, with a mean age of 43.8 years old. The mean of years since diagnosis was 15.1 years. In 7 patients, we found concomitant treatment with another antipsychotic agent (low dose quetiapine in all of them); antidepressants in 1 patient, benzodiazepines in 6; mood stabiliser in 5 and biperidene in 1. In relation to previous antipsychotic drugs, we found: aripiprazole 15 mg/day oral (4); long-acting injectable paliperdidone 150 mg/28 days (2) paliperdone 6 mg/day oral (1); combination of paliperidone 6 mg/day oral plus olanzapine 5 mg/day oral (1). Only 4 patients had used long-acting injectable drugs previously in their lifetime. The reason of having initiated treatment with long-acting injectable aripiprazole was sexual disturbance (3); lack of compliance (4); clinical inestability (2) and motor side effects (1).ConclusionsIn our series, we can observe a chronic patient profile, predominantly men with diagnosis of psychotic spectrum.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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