At the time of this review , seven AAPs were available in Canada : aripiprazole clozapine olanzapine paliperidone quetiapine risperidone ziprasidone
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that requires lifelong treatment and is associated with symptoms that include hallucinations , delusions , cognitive impairment , disorganized thoughts , social withdrawal , and low motivation .
Antipsychotic medications are effective at relieving the symptoms of schizophrenia , and they form the foundation of treatment .
Prolactin levels in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients treated with clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, or haloperidol.
BACKGROUND Prolactin levels are elevated to varying degrees by antipsychotics . Prolactin elevations may result in sexual and other adverse effects , and they may be related to antipsychotic effects . We used the data collected in a trial of antipsychotics to study the differential effect of these drugs on prolactin level , to explore the relation between clinical effects and prolactin level , and to determine the relationship between plasma levels of antipsychotics and prolactin level . METHOD Treatment-resistant patients ( 133 men , 24 women ) diagnosed with DSM-IV schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder participated in a double-blind , r and omized , 14-week trial comparing clozapine ( N = 40 ) , olanzapine ( N = 39 ) , risperidone ( N = 41 ) , and haloperidol ( N = 37 ) . Plasma levels of prolactin and antipsychotics were determined at baseline and at weeks 5 , 8 , 10 , 12 , and 14 during the trial . Clinical effects were measured with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale . Statistical analyses were limited to the 75 men for whom repeated prolactin levels were available . Data were gathered from June 1996 to December 1999 . RESULTS Risperidone caused significant elevation of prolactin levels ( p < .05 ) that appeared to be dose-dependent . Clozapine and olanzapine were associated with decreases of prolactin , whereas haloperidol led to a minor , nonsignificant increase . Plasma olanzapine and prolactin levels were correlated . Prolactin levels were not related to clinical improvement or extrapyramidal side effects . CONCLUSION Antipsychotics show major differences in their effects on prolactin , and risperidone has clearly the most robust effect
At the time of this review , seven AAPs were available in Canada : aripiprazole clozapine olanzapine paliperidone quetiapine risperidone ziprasidone
Schizophrenia is a mental illness that requires lifelong treatment and is associated with symptoms that include hallucinations , delusions , cognitive impairment , disorganized thoughts , social withdrawal , and low motivation .
Antipsychotic medications are effective at relieving the symptoms of schizophrenia , and they form the foundation of treatment .