Psychiatria pre prax 1/2006

SECOND GENERATION ANTIPSYCHOTICS IN RELAPSE PREVENTION OF SCHIZOPHRENIA – THE RECENT FINDINGS FROM SELECTED DOUBLE-BLIND, RANDOMIZED TRIALS

Schizophrenia is a disease with a prolonged course and frequently a life time treatment. Second-generation antipsychotics should be undoubtedly advantageous, because of their complex effect and better tolerance. However many factors influencing the treatment complicate the evaluation the effect of individual medications or their classes. A natural unfavorable course of the disease is one of them as well as low compliance with treatment in patients with schizophrenia. These factors are emphasized in the review and results of recently published studies are discussed.

Keywords: schizophrenia, relapse, second generation antipsychotics.