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Improving adherence to antipsychotic pharmacotherapy.
Prakash S Masand1, Meera Narasimhan
1Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA. pmasand@psychcme.net
Current Clinical Pharmacology
|August 1, 2008
Summary
Nonadherence to antipsychotic medication is a major cause of relapse and rehospitalization in schizophrenia patients. Improving adherence through better drug selection and non-pharmacological methods is crucial for optimal outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Mental Health
Background:
- Nonadherence to antipsychotic pharmacotherapy is a significant issue in schizophrenia management.
- It leads to relapse, rehospitalization, and increased treatment costs.
- Understanding risk factors and effective interventions is critical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the consequences of nonadherence to antipsychotic pharmacotherapy in schizophrenia patients.
- To identify associated risk factors for nonadherence.
- To explore methods for improving adherence.
Main Methods:
- Literature review using MEDLINE search.
- Keywords: schizophrenia, adherence, compliance.
- English language publications, supplemented by expert knowledge.
Main Results:
- Nonadherence is a common cause of relapse and rehospitalization in schizophrenia.
- Risk factors include substance abuse, poor family involvement, and weak clinician-patient relationships.
- Negative treatment attitudes, often due to adverse events, increase nonadherence.
Conclusions:
- Improving adherence is challenging but essential for effective schizophrenia treatment.
- Optimizing drug therapy, focusing on tolerability, is key.
- Combining pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions can decrease nonadherence.
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