Trend of dose of antipsychotics
In 2021, the average daily dose of SGAs prescribed to the patients was
558.8 mg (CPeq), and the average dose per person administered in the
past 20 years showed a significant difference (F = 123.1, df = 4, p =
2.5x10-82), with an increasing trend (r = 0.950, p =
0.013) (Table 2 and Fig 2). On the other hand, FGAs were prescribed to
the patients in 2021 at an average daily dose of 230.0 mg of CPeq, and
the average daily dose of CPeq per person receiving these drugs in the
past 20 years was significantly different (F = 103.4, df = 4, p =
4.6x10-97), showing a downward trend (r = -0.984, p =
0.002) (Table 2 and Fig 2). The mean daily CPeq dose of all
antipsychotics prescribed to the patients in 2021 was 531.2 mg, which
was unchanged (F = 2.24, df = 4, p = 0.062) over the past 20 years (Fig
2). The average daily dose of anticholinergics (r = -0.994, p =
6.2x10-4) and anxiolytics and sleeping pills (r =
-0.931, p = 0.021) showed a decreasing trend over the past 20 years (Fig
2). The average daily dose of antidepressants was also unchanged (r =
0.865, p = 0.058) (Fig 2).
SGAs prescribed in 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021 showed an increasing
trend in the average daily dose for the patients (Fig 2); on the other
hand, FGAs prescribed in these years showed a downward trend in the
average daily CPeq dosage for the patients (Fig 2). The average daily
CPeq dosage of patients prescribed any antipsychotic remained constant
over the past 20 years (Fig 2). Ratios of FGA CPeq dose to antipsychotic
total CPeq dose showed a decreasing trend over the past 20 years, while
those of SGA CPeq dose to antipsychotic total CPeq dose showed a
increasing trend over the past 20 years (Fig 3).