Recent psychostimulant use in hospitalized schizophrenics.

The incidence of CNS stimulant use among 300 patients admitted to an acute care psychiatric facility was estimated to be 31% overall; 11% of patients admitted to use within 6 months of the index hospitalization. A number of previously described relationships between stimulant use and schizophrenia were confirmed. Relapsing schizophrenics utilized stimulants prior to hospitalization more often than nonschizophrenic patients; outpatient antipsychotic prophylaxis did not prevent these relapses. It is concluded that stimulants partially contribute to relapse in schizophrenics.