[Ethical case discussions before compulsory medication in psychiatry]. / Ethische Fallbesprechungen vor Zwangsmedikation in der Psychiatrie.

BACKGROUND: Ethical case discussions in psychiatric hospitals are particularly useful when a moral conflict between respect for the patient's autonomy and well-being becomes apparent when considering the legitimacy of coercive treatment. To date, there is hardly any data on the procedure and the results of such case discussions. We therefore present data from a large psychiatric clinic. AIM OF THE STUDY: We retrospectively analyzed ethical case discussions prior to compulsory medication in a quantitative and qualitative manner. METHODS: The study analyzed the protocols of all ethical case discussions over a 2-year period. They used the method of principle-based ethical case discussion. The qualitative analysis of selected cases was supplemented by reference to case records. RESULTS: An advance care directive was not available in any of the cases, so that the presumed will was used generally to assess the autonomy perspective. It proved quite complex to address danger to third parties when assessing the beneficence and nonmaleficence perspective. In 5 out of 35 consultations, the compulsory medication was not recommended from an ethical perspective. DISCUSSION: Ethical case discussions enable a holistic individual examination of moral obligations. They contribute to well-founded decisions and can help to reduce the frequency of coercive medications, suggesting routine use of ethics counselling.

[Advance directives and mental disorders: a practice recommendation of the Commission for Ethics and Law of the German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics]. / Patientenverfügungen und psychische Erkrankung ­ eine Praxisempfehlung der Kommission Ethik und Recht der DGPPN.

BACKGROUND: Since the creation of legal requirements for advance directives by the legislator in 2009, special aspects of their application in the treatment of people with mental illnesses have been discussed. GOAL OF THE PAPER: Important questions on dealing with advance directives in everyday life will be answered in a practice-oriented manner. RESULTS: Among other things, this document answers the question of the conditions under which a patient can refuse or consent to hospitalization and treatment in advance, and in particular how to deal with advance directives whose implementation would also affect the rights of third parties. The German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN) has addressed these and other questions in the present document and added practical advice on how to formulate advance directives for people with mental illnesses and how to deal with psychiatric advance directives. DISCUSSION: The DGPPN has developed an advance directive for the area of mental health and published it on its website together with detailed explanations. With the help of this advance directive, people can decide on their treatment in phases of incapacity to consent in the context of a mental crisis or illness.

Assisted suicide in persons with mental disorders: a review of clinical-ethical arguments and recommendations.

Persons with mental disorders have the same right to self-determination as patients with somatic diseases, also regarding death and dying. However, there are several challenges that render persons with mental disorders especially vulnerable to inappropriate conduct of assisted suicide: their wish to die may be a symptom of their mental disease and not an autonomous choice, decision-making competence may be compromised by their illness and more difficult to assess, the severity of suffering may be more difficult to evaluate from an external perspective, the wish to die may be more variable over time and the prognostic uncertainty in mental illness makes it more difficult to determine whether the severe suffering is, in fact, treatment-resistant. After reviewing the clinical and ethical background of assisted suicide in persons with mental disorders, we assess each of these challenges to a medically and ethically justified practice of assisted suicide in mentally ill persons, based on relevant clinical and ethical literature. We conclude that the only ethically valid argument to exclude persons with mental disorders from suicide assistance is their potential inability to make a free, autonomous decision. However, the mentioned challenges should be taken into account in evaluating a person's request for assisted suicide and for promoting her well-informed and deliberated decision-making. In addition to assessing the person's decision-making capacity, the evaluation process should be guided by the goal to empower the person to make an autonomous choice between the available options. We conclude the paper with perspectives for a clinically and ethically justified practice of evaluating requests for assisted suicide in persons with mental disorders.

[The situation in the German forensic commitment-Results of a survey by the DGPPN]. / Die Situation des deutschen Maßregelvollzugs ­ Ergebnisse einer Umfrage der DGPPN.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In German forensic psychiatry detention under Sections 63 and 64 of the German Penal Code have been repeatedly reformed over the past years; however, despite the most recent amendments to the law on detention, clinics and state authorities warn of insufficient capacities and worrying conditions. Media reports paint a defiant picture. At the same time, there is a lack of valid data that would allow an objective description of the situation in forensic psychiatry. Against this background the management of institutions in Germany has been surveyed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The survey was conducted as an online survey and sent to all 78 forensic hospitals in Germany. The survey covered topics such as structural data of the facilities, the occupancy and staffing situation, incidents, support from supervisory authorities and funding agencies, and patient characteristics. The results are presented descriptively. RESULTS: Of the 78 facilities contacted, 45 (approximately 60%) participated at least partially in the survey. Many of the clinics (68.5%) complained of significant overcrowding. A clear lack of staff and rooms was reported, at the same time it was stated that patients do not receive adequate treatment. Approximately 1 in 5 patients have a length of stay for more than 10 years and one third of the clinics reported an increasing number of physical assaults by patients. CONCLUSION: This overview shows that the forensic psychiatric hospitals are in very different but generally strained situations. A significant number of clinics are under great pressure. Financial, structural, spatial and personnel resources were described as insufficient to properly and professionally fulfill the legal mandate. The treatment standards presented by the DGPPN in 2017 are not met in many clinics.

[Assisted suicide from a psychiatric perspective]. / Der assistierte Suizid aus psychiatrischer Sicht.

Assisted suicide has been the subject of controversial debates for years, particularly intensively since a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany (BVerfG) in 2020, which postulated that the only prerequisite for the legitimacy of assistance is the free decision to commit suicide. This brings the issue into the focus of psychiatry. On the one hand, because people with mental illnesses can seek assisted suicide and on the other hand, because these illnesses often but not necessarily limit the ability to make a free decision on suicide. In the area of tension between the medical obligation to life and to suicide prevention on the one hand and the obligation to respect autonomous decisions of patients on the other hand, psychiatrists are not only personally challenged to develop a moral stance, but also as a profession to define the role and obligations of the discipline. This overview aims to contribute to this.

[The Implementation of Clinical Ethics Consultation at a Hospital for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy]. / Die Implementierung klinischer Ethikberatung an einer Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie.

OBJECTIVE: According to the case study of a large German clinic for psychiatry and psychotherapy, the introduction of a clinical ethics consultation should be scientifically accompanied and the results integrated into the implementation. METHODS: Employee surveys at different measurement points before and after the introduction were used as the data basis. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods as well as inferentially tested for significance. RESULTS: Even before implementation, the majority of employees considered clinical ethics consultation to be important. A comparison of the two surveys showed that the employees' own participation in an ethics consultation significantly influenced its evaluation in a positive direction. CONCLUSION: The involvement and participation of employees in the implementation of an ethics consultation has a significant influence on the acceptance and evaluation of these processes.

[Assisted suicide : Attitudes and experiences of members of the DGPPN]. / Der assistierte Suizid : Einstellungen und Erfahrungen der Mitglieder der DGPPN.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: After the Federal Constitutional Court overturned the ban on business-like assisted suicide in 2020, politicians, society and the medical profession are discussing legal protective measures to prevent abuse. This survey among members of the DGPPN is the first to record the attitudes and experiences regarding assisted suicide of psychiatrists and other mental health workers in Germany, as suicidality and assisted suicide are highly relevant topics for medicine and especially for psychiatry and psychotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The survey was conducted as an online survey with a specially created questionnaire and a DSGVO-compliant data protection concept and sent to a total of 9356 members. In addition to the descriptive analysis of the questionnaire, the free-text responses were subjected to an additional qualitative analysis. Finally, correlations between sociodemographic variables and relevant items were examined. RESULTS: A total of 2048 members participated in the survey (22%). Most participants (88%) considered a (new) legal regulation of assisted suicide to be necessary; the separation of counselling, assessment and execution of assisted suicide was mentioned most frequently (76%). The majority considered assisted suicide to be legitimate under certain circumstances when the suicide wish is freely made (72%), especially in cases of high suffering and near the end of life (67%). Age, gender, and religious beliefs were found to be significant influencing factors in several responses. CONCLUSION: A large majority of the DGPPN members consider it necessary to find a legal regulation that prevents abuse of assisted suicide; however, while most participants did not consider assisted suicide to be legitimate or illegitimate in principle, but rather made this dependent on the specific circumstances of the suicide wish, more than half ruled out to assist with suicide. The results represent an important contribution to the political debates about legal protective measures.

[Dramatic changes in the age structure for medical specialists in the field of mental health]. / Dramatische Veränderungen der Altersstruktur bei Fachärzten im Bereich psychischer Gesundheit.

BACKGROUND: Over the past 20 years the importance of treatment of people with mental and neurological disorders has greatly increased. Parallel to this development it has become more difficult to attract young physicians to this field. The aim of this study was to examine the development of the number of physicians specialized in the care of patients suffering from neurological, mental and psychosomatic disorders with special consideration of the age structure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The analyses were based on the number of professionally active physicians and specialized physicians published by the German Medical Association for the years 2000-2020. Separate age groups were looked at for psychiatry and psychotherapy (PPT), psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy (PMPT), Nervenheilkunde (formerly psychiatry and neurology together, NHK) and neurology. RESULTS: In comparison to the year 2000 the number of specialized physicians working in PPT (4736 vs. 12,053), neurology (2226 vs. 8355) and PMPT (3543 vs. 4130) increased in 2020, while the number of specialists actively working in NHK decreased (5184 vs. 2301). Parallel to this the proportion of women increased. Dramatic changes occurred concerning the age structure. Currently, 77.7% of specialists working in NHK and 59.7% working in PMPT are over 60 years old. In 2020 there were 2988 specialists aged over 60 years in the discipline of PPT compared to only 1070 under 40 years, which is dramatically different from 20 years earlier when only 181 were over 60 years but 1491 were under 40 years old. CONCLUSION: The overaging of professional specialists and the shortage of junior physicians jeopardize modern and adequate provision of care for mentally ill patients. Possible solutions include a marked increase in medical school capacities as well as strategies to convince young physicians to work in the disciplines of PPT and PMPT.

[Sleep medicine in psychiatry and psychotherapy]. / Schlafmedizin in der Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie.

Sleep medicine is a cross-disciplinary subject with high relevance for psychiatry and psychotherapy. The three most common sleep disorders (insomnia, sleep apnea syndrome and restless legs syndrome) are presented here with practical relevance. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the treatment of choice for insomnia, whereas symptomatic drug treatment (especially with GABA receptor agonists) should be used with caution. Sleep-related breathing disorders have a high prevalence of around 24% among psychiatric inpatients in Germany. Typical symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome should lead to a staged diagnostic process and, if necessary, cardiorespiratory polysomnography. It is not unusual for restless legs syndrome to be caused by psychopharmacological treatment. The primary form was usually treated with dopamine or dopamine agonists but due to the risk of augmentation, alternatives should be considered more often.

European guideline and expert statements on the management of narcolepsy in adults and children.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Narcolepsy is an uncommon hypothalamic disorder of presumed autoimmune origin that usually requires lifelong treatment. This paper aims to provide evidence-based guidelines for the management of narcolepsy in both adults and children. METHODS: The European Academy of Neurology (EAN), European Sleep Research Society (ESRS), and European Narcolepsy Network (EU-NN) nominated a task force of 18 narcolepsy specialists. According to the EAN recommendations, 10 relevant clinical questions were formulated in PICO format. Following a systematic review of the literature (performed in Fall 2018 and updated in July 2020) recommendations were developed according to the GRADE approach. RESULTS: A total of 10,247 references were evaluated, 308 studies were assessed and 155 finally included. The main recommendations can be summarized as follows: (i) excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in adults-scheduled naps, modafinil, pitolisant, sodium oxybate (SXB), solriamfetol (all strong); methylphenidate, amphetamine derivatives (both weak); (ii) cataplexy in adults-SXB, venlafaxine, clomipramine (all strong) and pitolisant (weak); (iii) EDS in children-scheduled naps, SXB (both strong), modafinil, methylphenidate, pitolisant, amphetamine derivatives (all weak); (iv) cataplexy in children-SXB (strong), antidepressants (weak). Treatment choices should be tailored to each patient's symptoms, comorbidities, tolerance and risk of potential drug interactions. CONCLUSION: The management of narcolepsy involves non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches with an increasing number of symptomatic treatment options for adults and children that have been studied in some detail.

European guideline and expert statements on the management of narcolepsy in adults and children.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Narcolepsy is an uncommon hypothalamic disorder of presumed autoimmune origin that usually requires lifelong treatment. This paper aims to provide evidence-based guidelines for the management of narcolepsy in both adults and children. METHODS: The European Academy of Neurology (EAN), European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) and European Narcolepsy Network (EU-NN) nominated a task force of 18 narcolepsy specialists. According to the EAN recommendations, 10 relevant clinical questions were formulated in PICO format. Following a systematic review of the literature (performed in Fall 2018 and updated in July 2020) recommendations were developed according to the GRADE approach. RESULTS: A total of 10,247 references were evaluated, 308 studies were assessed and 155 finally included. The main recommendations can be summarized as follows: (i) excessive daytime sleepiness in adults-scheduled naps, modafinil, pitolisant, sodium oxybate (SXB), solriamfetol (all strong), methylphenidate, amphetamine derivates (both weak); (ii) cataplexy in adults-SXB, venlafaxine, clomipramine (all strong) and pitolisant (weak); (iii) excessive daytime sleepiness in children-scheduled naps, SXB (both strong), modafinil, methylphenidate, pitolisant, amphetamine derivates (all weak); (iv) cataplexy in children-SXB (strong), antidepressants (weak). Treatment choices should be tailored to each patient's symptoms, comorbidities, tolerance and risk of potential drug interactions. CONCLUSION: The management of narcolepsy involves non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches with an increasing number of symptomatic treatment options for adults and children that have been studied in some detail.