Antipsychotics in clinical practice: guidelines for safe and effective use.
Antipsychotic drugs have made a significant contribution to the treatment of schizophrenia but the older drugs in particular have significant side-effects. The newer atypical drugs are effective for the treatment of both positive and negative symptoms and they also have significantly fewer serious side-effects. However, these drugs are considerably more expensive that the older drugs and this has generated intense debate about their cost effectiveness. There is now good evidence that when all factors are taken into consideration the atypical drugs are both cost effective and improve the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia. Despite the importance of these drugs there is widespread variation in their use and a national consensus on this important issue is long overdue.
Curran
Stephen
S
University of Huddersfield, Queensgate; Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry, Wakefield and Pontefract Community Health NHS Trust, Fieldhead Hospital, Wakefield, UK. s.curran@hud.ac.uk
Harris
Linda
L
Macdonald
Andrew
A
Pollock
Colin
C
Roney
Gerry
G
Silkstone
David
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents