Role of depot antipsychotic medication in patients requiring long-term antipsychotic treatment for psychotic disorders
Question 5: In individuals with psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia) who require long term antipsychotic treatment, what is the safety and role of depot antipsychotic medication?
- Population: adults with psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia
- Interventions: depot antipsychotic drugs
- Comparison: oral antipsychotics drugs
- Outcomes:
- symptoms severity
- prevention of relapses
- disability and functioning
- adverse effects of treatment (movement disorders, weight gain)
- quality of life
- mortality
- treatment adherence
- users' and families' satisfaction with care.
Recommendation(s)
Individuals on long term antipsychotic treatment should be given adequate information and encouraged to make a choice between oral and depot preparations, especially with the view to improve adherence.
Strength of recommendation: STANDARD
Individuals on antipsychotic medicines (oral and depot preparations) should be monitored regularly for symptom relief, functioning and any adverse effects.
Strength of recommendation: STRONG
Depot antipsychotics should not be routinely prescribed to women with psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia), who are planning a pregnancy or pregnant or breastfeeding because there is relatively little information on their safety.
Strength of recommendation: STRONG