Recommendations for neurolepics advocate monotherapy, i.e. treatment with only one medical with an antipsychotic effect. Of the patients who received neuroleptics, only 50 percent of those in voluntary care received monotherapy. 30 percent of certified patients received monotherapy treatment. The remainder were treated with two or more different antipsychotic preparations simultaneously. On the other hand, a positive trend for doses of neuroleptics is observed compared with a study conducted in 1992.
Many patients receive combinations of medical products which can sometimes give rise to problems.
For example, two thirds of those in voluntary care being treated with neuroleptics also receive anti-depressants. More than 60 percent of certified patients in hospital receive benzodiazepines as well as neuroleptics. Quite a number of differences between men and women are observed. Women were prescribed more medication, and women were treated to a larger extent with combinations of medical products that can give rise to clinically relevant interactions. Women were more frequently given on-going prescriptions of sleeping pills, both in hospital and in nursing homes.