Determining the Effects of Risperdal Consta in Patients With Psychotic Disorders and Incomplete Adherence
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2006-04-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
As many as 75 percent of patients with schizophrenia have difficulty taking their oral
medication on a regular basis. This may lead to worsening of symptoms. Clinicians commonly
respond to these problems by adding adjunctive medications, despite the absence of systematic
studies that support such practices. It is possible, however, that in many of these cases,
the unstable course and/or unsatisfactory treatment response reflects incomplete adherence
with the originally prescribed oral antipsychotic, rather than a need for adjunctive
medications. This study will examine whether switching patients who demonstrate an unstable
course and/or an unsatisfactory clinical response to a long-acting injectable preparation as
the primary antipsychotic may enhance medication adherence and improve outcomes.