Current schizophrenia drugs: efficacy and side effects.
Over the course of the past decade, the acceptance of several second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) as effective medication for the treatment of schizophrenia has led to some changes. SGAs have a lower risk of inducing extrapyramidal side effects and tardive dyskinesia compared with first-generation antipsychotics, and have been said to be more successful in long-term treatment and tolerability. They also significantly improve the quality of life of schizophrenic patients. However, during treatment with SGAs other adverse effects can occur, such as weight gain, metabolic changes, sexual dysfunction and QTc-prolongation, significantly affecting the patient's physical health. Consequently, these side effects might be the reason that a high proportion of patients discontinue treatment with SGAs. Thus, from the authors' view, optimising individualised treatment implies increasing the efficacy of current schizophrenia drugs. This can be achieved by finding clinical or pharmacogenetic predictors for the most appropriate drug or drug combination, and by improving side-effect management in combination with non-pharmacological interventions in order to increase patients' quality of life and treatment compliance, possibly resulting in a better long-term outcome.
Krebs
Michael
M
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Schumannstr. 20/21, D-10117 Berlin, Germany.
Leopold
Karolina
K
Hinzpeter
Axel
A
Schaefer
Martin
M
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011788:Quality of Life; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents