History and therapeutic rationale of long acting antipsychotics.
Despite their widespread use, long acting antipsychotics, are often regarded with prejudice, due to fears of punishment, control and insufficient evolution towards psychosocial development of psychotic patients raised by their improper utilization. Another major shortcoming of long-acting antipsychotics is the impossibility of altering their dosage if side-effects appear. However, long-acting antipsychotics proved effective in schizophrenia and other severe psychotic disorders as a consequence of stable dose administration, leading to reduction of relapses and increased treatment adherence. Therapeutic opportunities have also risen after introduction of newer long acting second generation antipsychotics in recent years. Newer long-acting antipsychotics were developed to tackle the need for pharmacotherapy enhancing adherence in integrated rehabilitation programmes. This review is an outline of the development and introduction of older and newer long-acting antipsychotics in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychoses, with considerations on past and present pharmacological and therapeutic issues.
Alessandro
A
De Risio
Health Trust No. 10 "Veneto Orientale", Unit of Psychiatry of Portogruaro, Via Forlanini 2, 30026 Portogruaro, Venezia, Italia. alessandro.derisio@gmail.com.
Antonella P
AP
Lang
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations