ISS No. 17B


PHARMACOLOGIC OPTIONS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR COMPLIANCE

John M. Kane, M.D., 75-59 263rd Street, Glen Oaks, NY 11004-1150

The introduction of second-generation or "atypical" antipsychotics has provided a range of valuable new treatment options to enhance efficacy, tolerability, and adherence. Despite these advances nonacceptance and nonadherence of optimum treatment recommendations pose a serious challenge and have enormous public health implications.
Though there are clear advantages to long-acting antipsychotic medications, they have not been widely utilized in the U.S. Contributing factors may include the side-effect profiles of these drugs. A typical antipsychotics have been associated with lower relapse rates than conventional antipsychotics. The availability of a new generation antipsychotic in a long-acting alternative should go a long way toward taking better advantage of this option.
Many clinical trials have had difficulty determining the potential benefits of long-acting medications because they were not utilized under "real world" circumstances. The appropriate consideration and utilization of this approach requires an optimum patient clinician relationship.