Nicotine Dependence
Nicotine Dependence Essential Concepts Seven of ten patients with schizophrenia smoke. Many smokers with schizophrenia are severely addicted to nicotine. Assist smoking patients with schizophrenia in smoking cessation to reduce…
Dual Diagnosis
Dual Diagnosis Essential Concepts “Dual diagnosis” patients, as discussed in this chapter, are patients with schizophrenia who also suffer from a drug or alcohol use disorder. Half of patients with…
HIV/AIDS and Serious Mental Illness
HIV/AIDS and Serious Mental Illness Essential Concepts Patients with schizophrenia are at increased risk for HIV infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends screening for HIV as…
Medical Morbidity and Mortality
Medical Morbidity and Mortality Essential Concepts Physical health and wellness matter as much as mental health to patients with schizophrenia. Reducing premature deaths from cardiac disease is an important treatment…
Antipsychotics—Clinical Effectiveness
Antipsychotics—Clinical Effectiveness Essential Concepts A large clinical trial, Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE), compared risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, and ziprasidone with perphenazine. Only 26% of subjects who entered this…
Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Essential Concepts Psychiatric rehabilitation and psychiatric treatment are separate, yet equally important, complementary components of schizophrenia care. Psychiatric rehabilitation focuses on function and role outcomes, not on symptoms….
Psychologic Treatments—The Family
Psychologic Treatments—The Family Essential Concepts Family members (often parents or siblings) can be the greatest resources your patient has. Help family members understand the illness, and let them help you…
Psychologic Treatments—The Patient
Psychologic Treatments—The Patient Essential Concepts Supportive therapy is the pragmatic, real physician trying to help patients in the here-and-now with encouragement and advice. The foundation of supportive therapy is a…
Polypharmacy
Polypharmacy Essential Concepts Polypharmacy is a fuzzy concept since, at the molecular level, antipsychotic monotherapy constitutes intrinsic polypharmacy. Appropriate reasons for combination treatments are as follows: added efficacy, supplemental symptom…
Drug Interactions
Drug Interactions Essential Concepts All antipsychotics are metabolized to varying degrees by the hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP450) isoenzymes 3A4, 2D6, and 1A2. Some have additional non-P450 metabolism, which lowers the…
