Pharmacopsychiatry 2017; 50(05): 169-171
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-118483
Editorial
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Editorial to Driving Ability and Psychotropic Drugs

Gerd Laux
1   Institute of Psychological Medicine, Soyen, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
,
Michael Bauer
2   Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital Dresden, Dresden, Germany
› Institutsangaben
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

received16. August 2017
revised16. August 2017

accepted 16. August 2017

Publikationsdatum:
12. September 2017 (online)

Preview

Pharmacoepidemiological data show the highly frequent use of psychotropic drugs. According to the „Arzneiverordnungs-Report“ psychotropic drugs range second among the most prescribed medicines in Germany with antidepressants being the dominating class by far [1]. Modern societies demand a high grade of mobility, driving a car is vital for the functional autonomy of patients to take part in activities of daily living and are frequently obligatory for many professions. Psychiatric illness and psychopharmacological treatments may impair driving ability [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]forreview]. Therefore, road safety under psychotropic treatment is of high societal relevance, and the reason for highlighting this rarely covered field of psychopharmacology in this special issue of Pharmacopsychiatry.