United States: Neuroleptic Relapse Prevention

Abstract

Although careful research has not been conducted to assess treatment delivery practices in the U.S., it is my impression that there is considerable variability in maintenance neuroleptic treatment policies throughout the country. Schizophrenic patients in the U.S. receive care in a wide variety of different settings and even for an individual patient these settings may vary across time. A a result there is often considerable lack of continuity in developing and applying a long-term treatment plan. In addition, in many settings the outpatient treatment of patients with schizophrenia is provided by psychiatrists-in-training who are rotating through a clinic on a time-limited basis. As a result there may be a tendency to be conservative in terms of making changes in medication such as dosage reduction or switching drugs as well as a lack of long-term perspective on that particular individual’s previous illness course or treatment response.