Am J Psychiatry 1980; 137:1093-1095
Copyright © 1980 by American Psychiatric Association
Drug-related admissions to an inpatient psychiatric unit
RB Stewart, PK Springer and JE Adams
The authors prospectively monitored 60 consecutive admissions to an
inpatient psychiatry service to determine the role of drugs in psychiatric
hospitalization. They categorized drug-related problems as 1) drug
intoxication, 2) drug abuse, 3) side effects of therapeutic drugs, and 4)
noncompliance with prescribed medications. During the 6- month study 25
(41.7%) of the admissions were related to drug use; in 16 (26.7%)
admissions a drug-related problem was identified as the primary cause of
hospitalization. Alcohol was involved in 8 admissions, and Fiorinal,
cocaine, and flurazepam were each related to 2 admissions.
