Medication strategy & safety
Why Medication Strategy and Safety Matter
Effective medication treatment should reduce symptoms and help prevent a return of psychosis. It should also protect physical health and be manageable in everyday life.
Continue to key pointsReasons medication strategy and safety matter
Effective medication helps prevent symptoms from returning
Continuing an effective antipsychotic medication lowers the risk of psychosis returning and needing hospitalization. This helps protect the progress made in treatment.[1]
The right medication plan is different for each person
Medication choice should reflect the person’s past response, medical history, other medications, treatment goals, and preferences. The right plan is different for each person.[2]
Addressing side effects protects health and quality of life
Weight gain, sleepiness, constipation, and abnormal movements can affect everyday life and deserve attention. Regular checks of weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol are also part of safe treatment.[2,3]
A manageable plan is easier to continue
Oral and long-acting options can fit different preferences and routines. Understanding missed doses and opportunities to simplify treatment helps identify a plan the person can realistically continue.[2]
Evidence snapshot
Continued medication lowers the risk of relapse
In studies of people with schizophrenia, relapse—a return of psychosis—over 7–12 months occurred in:
- With continued antipsychotic medication
- 24 out of 100 people
- With placebo or no antipsychotic medication
- 61 out of 100 people
These are study averages, not a prediction for any one person.[1] Medication should not be stopped without guidance from the treating clinician.
A specialty consultation can help find the most effective and sustainable plan
The evaluation can review medication effectiveness, dose, missed doses, interactions, side effects, oral and long-acting options, and opportunities to simplify treatment. The goal is not more medication. It is the safest and most effective plan that the patient can realistically continue.[2]
References
- Ceraso A, Lin JJ, Schneider-Thoma J, Siafis S, Tardy M, Komossa K, et al. Maintenance treatment with antipsychotic drugs for schizophrenia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;8(8):CD008016.
- Keepers GA, Fochtmann LJ, Anzia JM, Benjamin S, Lyness JM, Mojtabai R, et al. The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry. 2020;177(9):868-72.
- Pillinger T, McCutcheon RA, Vano L, Mizuno Y, Arumuham A, Hindley G, et al. Comparative effects of 18 antipsychotics on metabolic function in patients with schizophrenia, predictors of metabolic dysregulation, and association with psychopathology: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(1):64-77.