Evaluation of outcomes for atypical antipsychotic therapy and psychosocial rehabilitation in a community mental health center setting. Based on a presentation by Douglas Noordsy, MD.
Efficacy studies provide information on drug safety and its effect on symptoms, but their designs limit the general application of results to other settings. Functional outcomes, although difficult to measure, offer the most complete view of a medication's effect on the patient. A community mental health center (CMHC) is a common forum for treating schizophrenic patients, which presents an opportunity to study a drug's effect on patients in a natural setting. This study setting is useful because in the community patients face daily life situations, interact with family members and caregivers, and may suffer from comorbid illnesses or conditions that can affect outcomes. Douglas Noordsy, MD, Medical Director of the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, New Hampshire, has begun a study to examine the effectiveness of olanzapine compared with the effectiveness of typical antipsychotic medications in the CMHC setting. The initial data in Dr. Noordsy's study confirm the benefits of olanzapine for clinical symptoms and suggest positive results for functional outcomes in the future.
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D010890:Pirenzepine; D000077152:Olanzapine