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Off-Label Use Of Second Generation Antipsychotics In Primary Care -An Exploratory Study, Nima Gheisarzadeh

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Over the past two decades, the use of antipsychotics has increased tremendously worldwide, and second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) have been the main driver of this trend. The extensive use of SGAs for off-label purposes has raised concerns over their role in clinical practice. In particular, studies have revealed serious metabolic and cardiovascular effects, and evidence is lacking on SGAs’ effectiveness. Despite the concerns, the extent and pattern of SGAs’ off-label use is largely unknown within the context of the Canadian primary health care system. Using electronic medical record (EMR) data from 14 practices in southwestern Ontario, we investigated the number of …