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Objective: Psychiatric patients in general, and elderly psychiatric patients in particular, are at risk of adverse drug reactions due to comorbidities and inappropriate polypharmacy. Interdisciplinary and clinical-pharmacologist-led medication reviews may contribute to medication safety in the field of psychiatry. In this study, we reported the frequency and characteristics of clinical-pharmacological recommendations in psychiatry, with a particular focus on geriatric psychiatry., Method: A clinical pharmacologist, in collaboration with the attending psychiatrists and a consulting neurologist, conducted interdisciplinary medication reviews in a general psychiatric ward with a geropsychiatric focus at a university hospital over a 25-week period. All clinical and pharmacological recommendations were recorded and evaluated., Results: A total of 316 recommendations were made during 374 medication reviews. Indications/contraindications of drugs were the most frequently discussed topics (59/316; 18.7 %), followed by dose reductions (37/316; 11.7 %), and temporary or permanent discontinuation of medications (36/316; 11.4 %). The most frequent recommendations for dose reduction involved benzodiazepines (9/37; 24.3 %). An unclear or absent indication was the most common reason for recommending temporary or permanent discontinuation of the medication (6/36; 16.7 %)., Conclusion: Interdisciplinary clinical pharmacologist-led medication reviews represented a valuable contribution to medication management in psychiatric patients, particularly the elderly ones., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Introduction: Older patients are frequently affected by infectious diseases and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of consecutively prescribed antibiotics. Particularly within geriatric psychiatry, high rates of potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs) have been described, significantly complicating pharmacological treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the frequency and characteristics of antibiotic PIPs in geriatric psychiatry., Methods: Medication charts of 139 patient cases (mean age 78.8 years; 69.8% female) receiving antibiotic treatment on a geriatric psychiatric ward were analyzed. Utilizing previously published definitions of antibiotic PIPs, adequacy of the antibiotic prescriptions was subsequently assessed., Results: 16.3% of all screened patient cases (139/851) received an antibiotic treatment during their inpatient stay. 59.5% of antibiotic prescriptions were due to urinary tract infections, followed by pulmonary (13.3%) and skin and soft tissue infections (11.3%). 46.7% of all antibiotic prescriptions fulfilled at least one PIP criterium, with the prescription of an antibiotic course for more than seven days as the most common PIP (15.3%)., Discussion: Antibiotic PIPs can be considered as a frequent phenomenon in geriatric psychiatry. Especially the use of fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins should be discussed critically due to their extensive side effect profiles. Due to the special characteristics of geriatric psychiatric patients, international guidelines on the use of antibiotics should consider frailty and psychotropic polypharmacy of this patient population more closely., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Pfister, Schröder, Heck, Bleich, Krüger, Wedegärtner, Groh and Schulze Westhoff.)

Objective: Geriatric patients account for a significant proportion of the collective treated by psychiatric consultation service in hospitals. In the Emergency Department (ED), psychotropic drugs are frequently recommended, notwithstanding their extensive side-effect profiles. This study sought to investigate medication safety of geriatric patients referred to psychiatric consultation service in the ED., Methods: Medication lists of 60 patients from the general internal medicine and trauma surgery EDs referred to psychiatric consultation service were analyzed. Utilizing PRISCUS list and Fit fOR The Aged (FORTA) classification, prescriptions of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) were assessed., Results: 84 drugs were newly prescribed following psychiatric consultations. The total number of drugs per patient was 5.4 ± 4.2 before psychiatric consultation and 6.5 ± 4.2 thereafter ( p < .001). 22.6 % of the newly recommended drugs were PIMs according to the PRISCUS list, while 54.8 % were designated as therapeutic alternatives to PIMs. 54.8 % and 20.2 % of the newly recommended drugs were FORTA category C and D drugs, respectively. An average of 1.2 ± 1.7 drug-drug interactions (DDIs) existed before psychiatric consultation and 1.3 ± 1.9 DDIs thereafter ( p = .08)., Conclusion: The majority of newly recommended drugs by psychiatric consultation service in the ED were designated as suitable therapeutic alternatives to PIMs according to the PRISCUS list, but had comparatively unfavorable ratings according to the FORTA classification, demonstrating discrepancies between these two PIM classification systems. Physicians delivering psychiatric consultation services in the ED should not solely rely on one PIM classification system.

Background: Differentiating depression and dementia in elderly patients represents a major clinical challenge for psychiatrists. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options for both conditions are often used cautiously due to fear of adverse effects. If a clinically indicated therapy is not initiated due to fear of adverse effects, the quality of life of affected patients may significantly be reduced., Case Presentation: Here, we describe the case of a 65-year-old woman who presented to the department of psychiatry of a university hospital with depressed mood, pronounced anxiety, and nihilistic thoughts. While several pharmacological treatments remained without clinical response, further behavioral observation in conjunction with 18 F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( 18 F-FDG PET/CT) revealed the diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). To counter the pharmacological treatment resistance of psychotic depression, we decided to perform electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Remarkably, ten sessions of ECT yielded an almost complete remission of depressive symptoms. In addition, the patient's delusional ideas disappeared. A follow-up 18 F-FDG PET/CT after the ECT series still showed a frontally and parieto-temporally accentuated hypometabolism, albeit with a clear regression compared to the previous image. The follow-up 18 F-FDG PET/CT thus corroborated the diagnosis of FTD, while on the other hand it demonstrated the success of ECT., Conclusions: In this case, ECT was a beneficial treatment option for depressive symptoms in FTD. Also, 18 F-FDG PET/CT should be discussed as a valuable tool in differentiating depression and dementia and as an indicator of treatment response., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: QT c prolongation carries the risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia (Torsades de Pointes) and sudden cardiac death. Psychotropic drugs can affect ventricular repolarization and thus prolong the QT c interval. The present study sought to investigate the risk factors (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) of severe QT c prolongation in gerontopsychiatric patients., Methods: Electrocardiograms of patients on a gerontopsychiatric ward were screened for QT c prolongation. Medication lists were examined utilizing the AzCERT classification. Potential drug interactions were identified with the electronic drug interaction program mediQ., Results: The overall prevalence of QT c prolongation was 13.6%, with 1.9% displaying severe QT c prolongation (≥ 500 ms). No statistically significant differences between patients with moderate and severe QT c prolongation were identified; however, patients with severe QT c prolongation tended to take more drugs ( p  = 0.063). 92.7% of patients with QT c prolongation took at least one AzCERT-listed drug, most frequently risperidone and pantoprazole. Risperidone and pantoprazole, along with pipamperone, were also most frequently involved in potential drug interactions. All patients displayed additional risk factors for QT c prolongation, particularly cardiac diseases., Conclusion: In addition to the use of potentially QT c -prolonging drugs, other risk factors, especially cardiac diseases, appear to be relevant for the development of QT c prolongation in gerontopsychiatric patients. Pantoprazole was frequently involved in potential drug interactions and should generally not be used for more than 8 weeks in geriatric populations. As clinical consequences of QT c prolongation were rare, potentially QT c -prolonging drugs should not be used overcautiously; their therapeutic benefit should be considered as well. It is paramount to perform diligent benefit-risk analyses prior to the initiation of potentially QT c -prolonging drugs and to closely monitor their clinical (side) effects., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Schulze Westhoff, Schröder, Heck, Pfister, Jahn, Krause, Wedegärtner, Bleich, Kahl, Krüger and Groh.)

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) constitute a frequent cause of hospitalization in older people. The risk of ADRs is increased by the prescription of potentially inappropriate medications for older people (PIMs). The PRISCUS list and the FORTA classification represent established tools to detect PIMs. The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and characteristics of PIM prescriptions on the gerontopsychiatric ward of a university hospital in Germany. To this aim, medication charts of 92 patients (mean age 75.9 ± 7.7 years; 66.3% female) were analyzed on a weekly basis until patient discharge by utilization of the PRISCUS list and the FORTA classification. Overall, 335 medication reviews comprising 2363 drug prescriptions were analyzed. 3.0% of the prescribed drugs were PIMs according to the PRISCUS list, with benzodiazepines and Z-drugs accounting for nearly half (49.3%) of all PIM prescriptions. 30.4% of the patients were prescribed at least one PRISCUS-PIM, while 43.5% of the study population took at least one FORTA class D drug. A considerable proportion of gerontopsychiatric patients were affected by PIMs; however, the overall number of PIM prescriptions in the study population was low. Further improvements in the quality of prescribing should target the use of sedating agents such as benzodiazepines and Z-drugs. Physicians should be aware of discrepancies between the PRISCUS list and the FORTA classification., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

To achieve global hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication, barriers prohibiting treatment access need to be overcome. We established a strategy to initiate antiviral therapy in patients with severe, refractory heroin addiction. All patients achieved sustained virological response. Outreach programs of hepatologists might be a reasonable way to overcome barriers to HCV treatment., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

Background: Health systems increasingly try to make their services more responsive to users' expectations. In the context of the World Health Report 2000, WHO developed the concept of health system responsiveness as a performance parameter. Responsiveness relates to the system's ability to respond to service users' legitimate expectations of non-medical aspects. We used this concept in an effort to evaluate the performance of mental health care in a catchment area in Germany., Methods: In accordance with the method WHO used for its responsiveness survey, responsiveness for inpatient and outpatient mental health care was evaluated by a standardised questionnaire. Responsiveness was assessed in the following domains: attention, dignity, clear communication, autonomy, confidentiality, basic amenities, choice of health care provider, continuity, and access to social support. Users with complex mental health care needs (i.e., requiring social and medical services or inpatient care) were recruited consecutively within the mental health services provided in the catchment area of the Hanover Medical School., Results: 221 persons were recruited in outpatient care and 91 in inpatient care. Inpatient service users reported poor responsiveness (22%) more often than outpatients did (15%); however this was significant only for the domains dignity and communication. The best performing domains were confidentiality and dignity; the worst performing were choice, autonomy and basic amenities (only inpatient care). Autonomy was rated as the most important domain, followed by attention and communication. Responsiveness within outpatient care was rated worse by people who had less money and were less well educated. Inpatient responsiveness was rated better by those with a higher level of education and also by those who were not so well educated. 23% of participants reported having been discriminated against in mental health care during the past 6 months. The results are similar to prior responsiveness surveys with regard to the overall better performance of outpatient care. Where results differ, this can best be explained by certain characteristics that are applicable to mental health care and also by the users with complex needs. The expectations of attention and autonomy, including participation in the treatment process, are not met satisfactorily in inpatient and outpatient care., Conclusion: Responsiveness as a health system performance parameter provides a refined picture of inpatient and outpatient mental health care. Reforms to the services provided should be orientated around domains that are high in importance, but low in performance. Measuring responsiveness could provide well-grounded guidance for further development of mental health care systems towards becoming better patient-orientated and providing patients with more respect.