Use of Long-acting Injectable Antipsychotic Drugs in the Elderly: A Retrospective Study

Despite the increasing use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIA) in the elderly population, there is still a lack of studies. This study aims to assess the treatment safety and tolerability of LAIAs in elderly patients.

This retrospective study was conducted with patients over 60 years of age who were treated in the psychiatry clinic of a university hospital between 2014 and 2024 and underwent LAIA. Sociodemographic data, diagnoses, LAIA medications and side effects were obtained by accessing hospital records.

A total of 186 patients with a mean age of 70.20 (± 5.20) years were included in the study. The majority of patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia (53.2%), bipolar disorder (23.7%), and schizoaffective disorder (20.4%). The most commonly prescribed LAIA was paliperidone palmitate once-monthly 100 mg, with 19.9% of the patients. The most frequently used oral antipsychotic in combination with LAIA was olanzapine, used in 64 (34.2%) cases. No significant adverse effects related to the use of long-acting injectable drugs were observed.

The utilisation of LAIAs in elderly patients appears to be both tolerable and safe. It can be considered for elderly patients suffering from chronic mental illness who are non-compliant with treatment.