| There
has been much debate about whether the new "atypical"
antipsychotic medications used to treat people with schizophrenia
are more effective than the older, "conventional"
antipsychotics. Recent research studies have reported that the
atypical antipsychotics produce fewer side effects and relieve
acute symptoms better than do the conventional antipsychotics.
Very few studies, however, have compared the efficacy of the
two types of antipsychotics in practical terms of relapse rate.
A study
reported in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry
monitored the rehospitalization status of a group of participants
with schizophrenia who were discharged from an inpatient psychiatric
facility and prescribed either risperidone (Risperdal) or
olanzapine (Zyprexa) or a conventional antipsychotic. The
participants were monitored for a two-year period. At the
end of that period, researchers found the rehospitalization
rate for people taking a conventional antipsychotic (48 percent)
to be significantly higher than the rates for people taking
either risperidone or olanzapine (33 percent and 31 percent,
respectively).
It is
important to note that the rate of rehospitalization for people
taking a conventional antipsychotic increased the most during
the second year. These results suggest that it may take two
years to clearly see the advantages of the newer atypical
antipsychotic medications.
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