Psychotropic drug prescribing in general practice. II. A three year retrospective study from an island community in northern Norway.

In a rural community in the northern part of Norway, the prescribing of psychotropic drugs has been recorded. The total prescribing during three years amounted to 60 defined daily doses per thousand inhabitants per day. Hypnotics and sedatives comprised together with antihistamines, 50% of the total amount of defined daily doses. Neurosis was the dominating indication for prescribing. The majority of the patients (59%) received less than 50 defined daily doses per year, indicating that most patients have a moderate consumption of psychotropic drugs. One of five users were prescribed more than 180 defined daily doses per year (71% of all DDD), representing a probable risk-group for chronic use.