Advice from NICE on Medicines Optimisation of Key Therapies

NICE have released a number of evidence-based Key Therapeutic Topics to support medicines optimisation. Access them below:

• Antibiotic prescribing – especially broad spectrum antibiotics (KTT9)
• First-choice antidepressant use in adults with depression or generalised anxiety disorder (KTT8) 
• Low-dose antipsychotics in people with dementia (KTT7)
• Hypnotics (KTT6)
• High-dose inhaled corticosteroids in asthma (KTT5)
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplements (KTT4)
• Lipid-modifying drugs (KTT3)
• Renin-angiotensin system drugs (KTT2)
• Wound care products (KTT14)
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (KTT13)
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus (KTT12)
• Minocycline (KTT11)
• Three-day courses of antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infection
• Laxatives (KTT1)

Positive Cardiometabolic Health Resource

"This clinical resource supports the implementation of the physical health CQUIN http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/sc-cquin-guid.pdf which aims to improve collaborative and effective physical health monitoring of patients experiencing Serious Mental Illness. It focusses on antipsychotic medication for adults"

Positive Cardiometabolic Health Resource: an intervention framework for people experiencing psychosis and schizophrenia
DE Shiers, I Rafi, SJ Cooper, RIG Holt
Royal College of Psychiatrists
2014 update

Read more here.

Cost-effectiveness of adherence therapy versus health education for people with schizophrenia

"Non-adherence to anti-psychotics is common, expensive and affects recovery. We therefore examine the cost-effectiveness of adherence therapy for people with schizophrenia by multi-centre randomised trial in Amsterdam, London, Leipzig and Verona."

Cost-effectiveness of adherence therapy versus health education for people with schizophrenia: randomised controlled trial in four European countries
A Patel, et al.
Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation, 2013, 11:12

Read more here.