AN EVALUATION OF PRESCRIPTION PATTERN OF ANTIPSYCHOTICS AND IT’S IMPACT ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS -A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Background: Antipsychotics are the primary therapeutic intervention in the treatment of patients with psychiatric disorders.Prescribing trends of antipsychotics has modified with accessibility of atypical antipsychotics.The assessment of current life skills, quality of life, medication adherence of the patient and subsequent intervention becomes necessary for comprehensive rehabilitation of people with mental illness.Hence continuous studies on antipsychotics are needed to provide most upgraded, effective and rational treatment of psychoses.Methods: A prospective observational study of patients receiving antipsychotics was carried out in Psychiatry Department of Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital, Thiruvalla for a period of six months.All relevant data of the enrolled patients was collected from various data sources and was documented in a suitably designed data collection forms to evaluate the pattern of medication use, ADL and IADL, quality of life and medication adherence.Results: A total of 91 patients was enrolled in study.Male predominance (58.24%) was observed in the study.Among typical antipsychotics, Chlorpromazine (60%) and among atypical antipsychotics,