title: Unmet treatment needs in schizophrenia patients: is asenapine a potential therapeutic option?
abstract: Adverse metabolic events, such as increased adiposity, hyperglycemia, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia, have been associated with treatment using atypical antipsychotic medications. However, the complexity of some of the reports on this problem and marketing efforts in this area may make it difficult for psychiatrists to remain fully and accurately informed about the metabolic complications of atypical antipsychotic therapy. Little is currently known about how psychiatrists view what they have read or heard, how they perceive the available information and how this affects their management of patients with schizophrenia. A number of studies have demonstrated that nonadherence to the medication regimen in schizophrenia is associated with poor symptomatic outcome, increased risk of relapse, more frequent use of compulsory treatment and increased risk of suicide and severe self-harm. Suicide is a major cause of death among schizophrenic patients, and their attitude toward medication can make the difference between a proper therapeutic regimen that protects patients from suicide risk versus discontinuation of treatments that are associated with disabling symptoms, some of which are risk factors for suicide. We review the characteristics of a new drug, asenapine, that may improve adherence in patients as a result of a distinctive receptor profile that may be associated with fewer side effects than other second-generation antipsychotic drugs.
authors: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. maurizio.pompili@uniroma1.it
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Pompili
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Serafini
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Innamorati
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Ambrosi
authors: Ludovica
authors: L
authors: Telesforo
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Venturini
authors: Gloria
authors: G
authors: Giordano
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Battuello
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Lester
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Girardi
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes; D006576:Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; C522667:asenapine