Mintage Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Sciences (ISSN: 2320-3315)

Author(s): GalaniV J, PatelJalpesh, PatelKrunal, Patel Darshak

Schizophrenia,  a  psychiatric  illness  is  a 4thleading  cause  of disability  among  adults.  It  is  estimated  to affect  1% of  the  general population. Aim  of  the  present  study  was  to conduct  epidemiological  survey  of  patients  suffering  of  schizophrenia  in  Gujarat.  This  retrospective  study  was  conducted  on  patients  visiting  Santvan  Hospital  Nadiad, Gujarat. Data were collected by the case report formsand analyzed for age, sex, symptoms of schizophrenic patients and prescribed drugs. Male and female patients (n=55) with age > 15 years and < 50 years, who had informed consent were included in this study. Patients with severe diseases alongwith schizophrenia, pregnant and lactating women, and age < 15 years and > 50 years were excluded from this study. Analysis of the data revealed that females and males affecting schizophrenia were almost equal. This disease appeared earlier in men usually in early twenties than in women who were affected in the twenties to early thirties. Female patients were suffered from irritable mood more than males. Male patients suffered from apathetic mood more than females. All cases studied were had negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Polypharmacy was observed in drug prescription as on an average drugs prescribed per patient was 3 to 4. Olanzapine (98%) was most prescribed drug followed by clozapine (64%), lorazepam (64%), escitalopram (50%) and risperidone (32%).