Abstract:

Purpose: This study aims to determine the usage frequency of long-acting injectable antipsychotics among bipolar disorder type 1 patients who presented to the Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Psychiatry and Mental Health outpatient clinic, the clinical characteristics of these patients, and the preferences of clinicians about these agents. Materials and Methods: Our study included 111 patients older than 18 years old with bipolar disorder. The ’data of the patients were retrospectively obtained from electronic data records. The data were recorded in the data collection form prepared by the researchers with the support of the literature. Results: The rate of the patients who used long-acting injectable antipsychotics was 21.6%. Among the patients who used long-acting injectable antipsychotics, the rate of those who used second-generation long-acting injectable antipsychotics was 58.3%, and the most frequently preferred agent was paliperidone palmitate. The patients who were using long-acting injectable antipsychotics had significantly higher rates of not working and numbers of hospitalizations. Conclusion: Our results showed that long-acting injectable antipsychotics are preferred by clinicians in our outpatient clinic in the later stages of bipolar disorders and for patients with poor drug compliance, poor functionality, and more hospitalizations. Starting long-acting injectable antipsychotics in the early stages of bipolar disorders, even following the first attack, may increase treatment compliance, reduce the duration of hospitalization, and contribute to the functionality of patients.

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