Antipsychotics are the most important drugs for the treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Due to adverse reactions and drug–drug interactions, the use of antipsychotics poses a risk to the patients. As part of the doctoral dissertation, we planned and carried out a 16-month prospective, observative, and non-interventional clinical study in the Psychiatric Hospital Idrija to determine the use of all drugs in a specific population of psychiatric patients. We analysed characteristics and pharmacotherapy of the investigated population (311 patients). We demonstrated that patients receive several different drugs due to the characteristics of psychiatric disorder as well as comorbidities and the management of adverse effects of antipsychotics. 20 % of the prescriptions contained non-psychotropic drugs. The analysis of pharmacotherapy showed that antipsychotics were not always prescribed in accordance with the guidelines (high use of classic antipsychotics, use of underdoses, receiving several antipsychotics at the same time, prescribing pro re nata). We have shown that patients often switch antipsychotics (37 %) due to various reasons. Some results were not expected: drug interactions were never the cause of switching antipsychotics, abrupt switching was most often performed, which is mostly not recommended, more than 10 % of switches were performed at the patient's request and three or more antipsychotics were included in the switching. The prevalence of potential interactions of type X and type D was high (88.7 %), and more than half of patients were exposed to at least one drug combination that should be avoid (interaction of type X). We found out associations between all clinically observed symptoms and signs and several variables, including potential interactions. The dominant variable associated with all groups of symptoms and signs was the number of drugs that patients received (OR 2.85; 95% CI 1.84–5.73). The results of the study confirm the need to plan independent, prospective studies in the field of prescribing/use of drugs in hospitalised psychiatric patients. It is also important to conclude that by including a clinical pharmacist in the treatment process, we can improve the quality of hospital treatment for psychiatric patients.
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