[Neuroleptic low-dose long-term strategy and intermittent therapy strategy in chronic schizophrenia--a critical review].
Much effort has been devoted during the past decade in finding new therapeutic approaches to cope with the commonly occurring adverse side effects of long-term neuroleptic maintenance treatment of schizophrenics, such as, in particular, akathisia, parkinsonian symptoms and tardive dyskinesia. Both low-dose maintenance (e.g. long-term treatment at dosages reduced to one-fifth or even less of conventional dosage levels in remitted and stable schizophrenics) and intermittent or-target medication strategies (e.g. discontinuation of neuroleptics in remitted stable chronic schizophrenics, aimed at resuming the medication as soon as prodromal signs of a relapse or actual relapses occur) might eventually imply for many schizophrenics a substantial reduction in total long-term neuroleptic dosages. This may lead to a reduction in the incidence of side effects and to an improvement in social integration. A critical review of the results published so far arrives at the following conclusions: 1. low-dose maintenance therapy is just as effective as a standard dose regimen and even superior to intermittent (target) medication. Especially if the dosage is increased in case of exacerbations; 2. these results are representative for a very small group of patients only, since the study populations were highly selective.
Hofmann
P
P
Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie, Graz.
Melisch
B
B
Zapotoczky
H G
HG
Kulhanek
F
F
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
Neuroleptische Niedrigdosis-Langzeitstrategie und intermittierende Behandlungsstrategien bei chronisch Schizophrenen--ein kritischer Uberblick.