Adolescent Substance Abuse Articles
Study shows rise in antipsychotic medication prescriptions
By Staff Writer
Antipsychotic medications, which were first approved to treat schizophrenia, are being used to treat a variety of other conditions, Reuters reported. However, there is little evidence that these drugs are effective at treating multiple conditions.
According to the news source, a team of researchers analyzed the results of a physician's survey conducted by IMS Health to see which medications were being used, and what they were being used for.
Based on these results, the team discovered that the number of antipsychotic prescriptions given to patients increased from 6.2 million in 1995 to 16.7 million in 2008. In addition, they found that use of the medications for conditions that lacked Food and Drug Administration approval more than doubled, from 4.4 million prescriptions in 1995 to 9 million in 2008.
A researcher behind the study told Reuters that the drugs are not harmless, and can lead to side effects such as weight gain, diabetes and heart disease. Aside from schizophrenia, the study indicated that the medication was used to treat conditions such as depression, dementia and autism.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that taking a prescription medication for reasons other than as prescribed can lead to addiction. If an individual feels they have grown dependent on a medication, they may want to seek substance abuse help.
