Researchers including Hata at Osaka Medical University Hospital used JMDC Claims data to analyze antipsychotic prescribing patterns from 2005 to 2016. Use of second-generation drugs increased, while first-generation drugs trended downward. Aripiprazole was prescribed most frequently, whereas use of clozapine and LAIs was limited.
Hata Takeo and colleagues at Osaka Medical University Hospital investigated antipsychotic use in Japan using the JMDC Claims Database. The study covered data from 2005 to 2016. Drugs classified under ATC classification N05A were defined as antipsychotics, and the analysis was conducted after applying specified exclusion criteria.
The analysis found that use of second-generation antipsychotics increased, while use of first-generation drugs decreased.
As of 2016, the most frequently prescribed antipsychotic was aripiprazole, accounting for approximately 31.9% of all prescriptions. Clozapine prescriptions accounted for only 0.2%. Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) accounted for less than 5% of prescriptions.
The authors noted that pharmacological treatment for schizophrenia in Japan is increasingly aligned with clinical guidelines, but use of clozapine and LAIs remains limited, and factors affecting prescriptions of these drugs need to be examined.