CONCLUSIONS This review provides some support to the notion that patients experiencing antipsychotic side-effects are at risk of developing more negative attitudes toward medication .
BACKGROUND Antipsychotics are associated with a wide range of side-effects .
Many patients experience antipsychotics as unpleasant and something they would rather avoid , leading some of them to discontinue taking their medication .
The importance of evaluating the patients ' perspective , especially their attitudes toward medication in the presence of side-effects , has long been emphasized .
However , no definite conclusion has been made to date on the relationship between antipsychotic side-effects and attitudes toward medication .
OBJECTIVES The objective of this systematic review was to determine the best available evidence regarding the impact of antipsychotic side-effects on attitudes toward medication in patients with schizophrenia and related disorders , which include schizoaffective and schizophreniform disorders .
SEARCH STRATEGY The search aim ed to find published studies using a range of data bases .
Patients' opinions of olanzapine and risperidone following long-term treatment: results from a cross-sectional survey.
INTRODUCTION The present study compares the subjective responses of patients in the stable phase of schizophrenia being treated with either olanzapine or risperidone .  METHODS Several well-established , self-report inventories were used in this investigation , providing a means of assessing the impact of these medications from the perspective of the patient . RESULTS Patients r and omly sample d from a continuing care clinic had been receiving treatment with olanzapine and risperidone for an average of 140 weeks and 225 weeks , respectively . The two treatment groups report highly positive attitudes toward their medication and a relatively high overall level of well-being and health-related quality of life . All patients report high levels of satisfaction with the mental health services they receive and their general health status . Olanzapine-treated patients were more likely to report reduced social and family interaction , as well as reduced sexual behavior and less participation in active recreational and pastime activities .  Patients on olanzapine also reported greater difficulty in thinking clearly and more feelings of uselessness and of being lost and alone . The occurrence of antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia and akathisia was low in both treatment groups . DISCUSSION Results point to a high level of subjective tolerability for both olanzapine and risperidone , with few differences between the two medications on the subjective dimensions of outcome assessed in this study . Future studies should exp and on the findings here , building on the limitations toward a large study including a comparison group receiving long-term treatment with typical antipsychotics . Ultimately , the goal should be the incorporation of patient-oriented assessment s into routine clinical practice . This is particularly important given the relationship among satisfaction with treatment , compliance , and quality of life
CONCLUSIONS This review provides some support to the notion that patients experiencing antipsychotic side-effects are at risk of developing more negative attitudes toward medication .
BACKGROUND Antipsychotics are associated with a wide range of side-effects .
Many patients experience antipsychotics as unpleasant and something they would rather avoid , leading some of them to discontinue taking their medication .
The importance of evaluating the patients ' perspective , especially their attitudes toward medication in the presence of side-effects , has long been emphasized .
However , no definite conclusion has been made to date on the relationship between antipsychotic side-effects and attitudes toward medication .
OBJECTIVES The objective of this systematic review was to determine the best available evidence regarding the impact of antipsychotic side-effects on attitudes toward medication in patients with schizophrenia and related disorders , which include schizoaffective and schizophreniform disorders .
SEARCH STRATEGY The search aim ed to find published studies using a range of data bases .