Gerridzen Ineke J, Doejaaren Els, Veenhuizen Ruth B, Hertogh Cees M P M, Joling Karlijn J
Atlant, Korsakoff Centre of Expertise, Kuiltjesweg 1, 7361 TC Beekbergen, The Netherlands.
Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Medicine for Older People, De Boelelaan 1109, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
J Clin Med. 2023 Apr 26;12(9):3133. doi: 10.3390/jcm12093133.
Psychotropic drugs (PD) are often prescribed to nursing home residents with Korsakoff syndrome (KS). It is unknown whether these drugs are prescribed correctly or whether they are prescribed off-label, for example, to treat behavioral symptoms. To get more insight into PD prescriptions, a descriptive study was performed. The type, category and indications of PD prescriptions of 285 participants were analyzed using medication charts and questionnaires. Behavioral symptoms were investigated with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire. The results showed that atypical antipsychotics (57.1%) were prescribed more frequently than typical antipsychotics (49.3%). Of the antidepressants, selective serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (63.1%) were most frequently prescribed, followed by tricyclic antidepressants (23.4%). Of the benzodiazepines, anxiolytics (85.7%) were more prescribed than hypnotics (24.5%). Besides psychiatric disorders, PD were also prescribed to treat behavioral symptoms varying from 29.9% (antipsycho-tics) to 26.3% (benzodiazepines) and 9.3% (antidepressants). Furthermore, prescriptions were high if behavioral symptoms were present. To conclude, PD are often prescribed to residents with KS for an unapproved indication, namely behavioral symptoms. Additional research is needed to obtain further insight into the current prescribing culture and the effectiveness of PD. The insights thus obtained may, ultimately, contribute to the appropriate prescription of PD for people with KS.
精神药物（PD）常被开给患有科萨科夫综合征（KS）的养老院居民。目前尚不清楚这些药物的处方是否正确，或者是否属于超适应症用药，例如用于治疗行为症状。为了更深入了解精神药物的处方情况，我们进行了一项描述性研究。我们使用用药记录和问卷分析了285名参与者的精神药物处方类型、类别和适应症。我们使用神经精神科问卷对行为症状进行了调查。结果显示，非典型抗精神病药物（57.1%）的处方频率高于典型抗精神病药物（49.3%）。在抗抑郁药物中，选择性5-羟色胺/去甲肾上腺素再摄取抑制剂（63.1%）的处方频率最高，其次是三环类抗抑郁药（23.4%）。在苯二氮卓类药物中，抗焦虑药（85.7%）的处方频率高于催眠药（24.5%）。除了精神疾病外，精神药物还被用于治疗行为症状，其比例从29.9%（抗精神病药物）到26.3%（苯二氮卓类药物）和9.3%（抗抑郁药物）不等。此外，如果存在行为症状，处方量会很高。总之，精神药物经常被开给患有KS的居民用于未经批准的适应症，即行为症状。需要进一步研究以更深入了解当前的处方文化和精神药物的有效性。由此获得的见解最终可能有助于为患有KS的人合理开具精神药物。
