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Cariprazine Use in Early Psychosis: Three Case Reports
Ricardo Coentre1,2, Rodrigo Saraiva1,2, Carolina Sereijo1
1PROFIP-Programa de Intervenção nas Fases Iniciais da Psicose, Department of Psychiatry, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
|January 3, 2022
Summary
Cariprazine, an atypical antipsychotic, shows promise for treating first-episode psychosis (FEP). Low doses effectively improved symptoms and were well-tolerated in three FEP patients, including those with negative symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Atypical antipsychotics are crucial for early intervention in psychosis.
- Cariprazine is a novel atypical antipsychotic with established uses in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
- Its efficacy and tolerability make it a potential option for first-episode psychosis (FEP).
Observation:
- Three patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) were treated with cariprazine.
- Two patients were in the early stages of FEP, while one was in the third year post-FEP.
- One patient presented with predominant negative symptoms.
Findings:
- All three patients received cariprazine at a target dose of 3-4.5 mg/day.
- Significant improvements in psychotic symptoms, including a reduction in negative symptoms, were observed.
- No major adverse effects were reported during the treatment.
Implications:
- These case reports suggest cariprazine is beneficial for treating early psychosis.
- Low-dose cariprazine may be an effective and tolerable option for patients in the early stages of psychosis.
- Further research with longer follow-up is recommended to validate these findings in FEP.
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