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Physical ill-health and psychotropic drug prescription – a review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Paul Williams*
Affiliation:
General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Paul Williams, General Practice Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF.

Synopsis

This review collates evidence of substantial physical morbidity in patients who receive psychotropic drugs, and evidence that these drugs are not infrequently prescribed for patients with known physical illness. Minor tranquillizers are the psychotropic drugs most commonly prescribed, and the category of physical illness most likely to be associated with psychotropic medication is cardiovascular disease.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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