The expectation of outcome from maintenance therapy in chronic schizophrenic patients.
The results from a prospective follow-up study of a group of schizophrenic patients suggest that a significant proportion (41 per cent) are likely to relapse during a two-year period despite the prescription of long-acting injectable neuroleptic drugs. Some will relapse because of a failure of the regime, but others (32-37 per cent) because the pharmacological protection of these drugs would appear to be less effective in certain patients. Even with the major advantages of the long-acting injectable neuroleptics over oral medication, the schizophrenic patient population remains a group with a high incidence of psychiatric and social morbidity which continues to require the full resources of both the hospital and community services.
D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013997:Time Factors; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents