Psychotropic drugs and mental retardation: 2. A comparison of psychoactive drug use before and after discharge from hospital to community.

The use of psychoactive medication was examined among 64 people with mental retardation who moved from two hospitals to the community as part of a plan of resettlement. There was no significant difference between the overall use of antipsychotic drugs 2 years before discharge, on the date of discharge and after at least 6 months (mean 25 months) of community living, although changes in drugs and doses prescribed had taken place. About 39% of people were receiving antipsychotics, 32% receiving antiepileptics, 7% receiving antidepressants and 8% receiving benzodiazepines.