[Psychopharmacotherapy in psychiatric nursing homes: myth and reality].

Isolation and tranquillization are often said to be the main concerns of psychiatric nursing homes. However, little is known about nowadays daily practice. The aim of our study was to investigate the present mode of psychopharmacological treatment in nursing homes serviced by our psychiatric ambulance. For that purpose, a standardized questionnaire was applied. There was slight trend in favour of atypical antipsychotics (49 %) as opposed to conventional neuroleptics (46 %). In 18 % of the patients, a combination of both atypical and conventional antipsychotics was administered, while only in 5% two or more conventional neuroleptics were given at the same time. Taken together, we could assure a modern psychopharmacotherapy trying to optimize the individual level of cognitive and psychosocial functioning.