title: The treatment of refractory schizophrenia: pharmacotherapy and clinical implications of blood level measurement of neuroleptics.
abstract: The treatment of refractory schizophrenia requires careful definition. This is usually a statement based on clinical and/or intuitive experience. The definition can be extended and tightened if laboratory evidence is incorporated into this definition. Suggestions on how to accomplish this, e.g. measuring blood levels of antipsychotic agents, are made. Strategies for "trials of therapy' in nonresponsive patients and for decisions for changing to a new antipsychotic agent are presented. Clinical and laboratory difficulties in tackling this problem are also discussed.
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006801:Humans; D010640:Phenothiazines; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010640:Phenothiazines