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The more, the merrier? When is polypharmacy a good option in schizophrenia treatment?

In an ideal setting, schizophrenia should be treated with a single antipsychotic agent. But in order to enhance, broaden and sustain treatment efficacy, as well as attenuate adverse effects, APP* treatment might be initiated despite lack of general support in treatment guidelines.1

In a recent publication in Frontier Psychiatry, Stephan Hjorth has summarized clinical literature related to the use of APP, with the prime focus upon pharmacological underpinnings in relation to the diverging outcome of combinations of different antipsychotic agents.1

* APP: Antipsychotic polypharmacy/drug combination treatment

APP treatment may be useful in selected patients when switch is not desired or feasible, but is NOT to be applied for ROUTINE use. (..) Any APP regimen should be based on drugs that are complementary, beneficial from an efficacy/AE outcome perspective, and follow a clear therapeutic rationale, avoiding pharmacokinetic (PK) as well as pharmacodynamic (PD) risks

Hjorth, Front. Psychiatry. 2021

 


Stephan Hjorth, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology, Pharmacilitator AB, is the author of the article. Listen for two minutes as he discusses the key findings and considerations to be made when embarking on polypharmacy treatment strategies in Schizophrenia.

Watch the full interview here

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