Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Antipsychotic polypharmacy or monotherapy?

George Gardos1

  • 1Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a Magyar Pszichofarmakologiai Egyesulet Lapja = Official Journal of the Hungarian Association of Psychopharmacology
|September 20, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP), the use of multiple antipsychotic drugs, lacks strong evidence of efficacy. While APP may be useful in specific clinical situations like clozapine augmentation, it may increase side effects and costs compared to monotherapy.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same journal

The Global Mode of Experience in Psychodynamic Movement and Dance Therapy - Bodily Awareness as a Therapeutic Factor: Effects and Clinical Considerations.

Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a Magyar Pszichofarmakologiai Egyesulet lapja = official journal of the Hungarian Association of Psychopharmacology·2026
Same journal

Educational Policy and Psychology in Iran: Current Trends.

Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a Magyar Pszichofarmakologiai Egyesulet lapja = official journal of the Hungarian Association of Psychopharmacology·2026
Same journal

Adipokine dysregulation and oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes: Implications for neurodegeneration and neuroprotective eff ects of antidiabetic therapies.

Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a Magyar Pszichofarmakologiai Egyesulet lapja = official journal of the Hungarian Association of Psychopharmacology·2026
Same journal

The Early Trauma Inventory Self Report-Short Form (ETISR-SF): Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Hungarian Version.

Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a Magyar Pszichofarmakologiai Egyesulet lapja = official journal of the Hungarian Association of Psychopharmacology·2026
Same journal

Adaptation of the Children's Kitchen Task Assessment - as an Ecologically Valid Measure of Executive Functions - among Schoolchildren from Different Socioeconomic Situations.

Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a Magyar Pszichofarmakologiai Egyesulet lapja = official journal of the Hungarian Association of Psychopharmacology·2026
Same journal

Exploring Associations Between Problematic Internet Use and Physical Symptoms Associated With Mental Disorders Among Students.

Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a Magyar Pszichofarmakologiai Egyesulet lapja = official journal of the Hungarian Association of Psychopharmacology·2026

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) involves using multiple antipsychotic drugs concurrently.
  • The prevalence of APP has increased, especially with Second Generation Antipsychotics (SGA).
  • Monotherapy is often recommended, but APP is increasingly common in psychiatric treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the efficacy and safety of antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP).
  • To identify specific clinical situations where APP may be indicated.
  • To discuss the implications of APP in psychiatric pharmacotherapy.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review including three RCTs, cohort studies, and case reports.
  • Analysis of studies examining APP efficacy and side effect burden.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Synthesis of expert recommendations on APP use.

    • Main Results:

    • Limited convincing evidence supports the general efficacy of APP.
    • Augmentation of clozapine response with a second antipsychotic showed the best results.
    • APP may be associated with higher anticholinergic and extrapyramidal side effects, though dosage control mitigates this.
    • Data on the cost of APP compared to monotherapy is scarce.

    Conclusions:

    • APP is not universally effective and should not be indiscriminately used.
    • Specific indications for APP include augmentation in treatment-resistant cases (especially with clozapine), failed cross-tapering, and adding a first-generation antipsychotic (FGA) to an SGA for acute agitation.
    • Incompetent pharmacotherapy, rather than APP itself, is the primary issue; improved education and psychopharmacology advances may reduce the need for APP.