[Treatment resistant schizophrenia: therapeutic approaches]

An important percentage of schizophrenic patients does not respond or responds partially to treatment. The concept of schizophrenia resistance has changed over the years, moving from a dichotomous model into a continuous one. Although clozapine is the only antipsychotic with proved efficacy for these patients, beneficial effects have been observed with other drugs. Other antipsychotics, their combination, anticonvulsants, lithium, glycine site agonists, antidepressants and benzodiazepines are also used in the treatment of refractory patients with diverse results. In this article, evidence of the efficacy of these drugs and other types of treatment on schizophrenic- resistant patients is reviewed, and a psychopharmacological treatment strategy is proposed.