Abstract
Abstract This report attempts to find a successful antipsychotic drug using duration of administration in routine private out-patient practice as a measure of success. All medical records of 56 schizophrenia patients over a ten-year period were examined. The antipsychotic drugs prescribed for longer than 4 years were identified. One patient was treated with clozapine for 31 years. Of the second generation antipsychotics, sertindole was most frequently prescribed for the longest periods: two patients for 9 years, one for 8 years, two for 7 years and six for 5 years. This was followed by risperidone with 4 patients treated for 5 years.
Highlights
A plethora of methods is available when trying to estimate, and measure, the effectiveness of pychotropic drugs
All medical records of patients fulfilling the criteria for the diagnosis of schizophrenia (F 20 according to ICD 10) treated in the author’s private practice over the ten-year period (30 June 1996 to 30 June 2006) were examined
Choice of the antipsychotics The treatment with sertindole was not started more frequently than the treatment with other second generation antipsychotics in the years 1998-2002 when risperidone and olanzpine could compete in the duration of treatment: 21 patients were started on sertindole, with 34 on risperidone and 26 on olanzapine respectively
Summary
A plethora of methods is available when trying to estimate, and measure, the effectiveness of pychotropic drugs. The time to discontinuation of treatment was used to compare the effectiveness of 5 antipsychotic drugs. Haro et al (2006) used antipsychotic discontinuation rates as an indicator of medication effectiveness in a threeyear prospective study in schizophrenia out-patients in 10 European countries.
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