ABSTRACT
To determine which antipsychotics mental health professionals from a low income country would choose for themselves. Cross-sectional study. This study was conducted in 8 cities in Pakistan from February to August 2008. Responses from 268 mental health professionals, including psychiatrists and nurses were obtained using a semi-structured questionnaire. All together 80% of doctors chose an atypical antipsychotic; risperidone was the most popular choice. Half of nurses did not know which antipsychotic to choose and the remaining chose haloperidol [21%] and risperidone [19%]. Efficacy and safety were the two most important factors influencing their decision. Both doctors and nurses in Pakistan considered efficacy and safety/tolerability to be important factors for choosing an antipsychotic; this is in line with National Institute of Clinical Excellence [NICE] guidelines 2009. Mental health training for nurses was identified as a major service deficiency