Algorithm for the treatment of schizophrenia in Japan

Abstract

Evidence-based psychopharmacological algorithms for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia have been developed in many countries in the last decade. While it would be of interest to consider a common algorithm based on international consensus, algorithms and information on antipsychotics available in each country are limited. Inspired by the algorithm generated by the International Psychopharmacology Algorithm (IPA) Project, this algorithm for the treatment of schizophrenia has been developed by the Japan Psychophamacology Algorithm (JPA) Project. New antipsychotics, such as clozapine, olanzapine and quetiapine, are excluded from this algorithm, being currently unavailable in Japan. In the end there was no essential difference between the algorithms for the treatment of acute schizophrenic episodes. However, combined use of antipsychotics appears to be more common in Japan and the adjunctive use of L-DOPS or thyrotropin-releasing hormone is included in the JPA algorithm for the treatment of drug-refractory schizophrenia.