Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Antipsychotic Treatment Adherence Overestimated

A study has come out claiming that the amount of schizophrenia patients who adhere to antipsychotic treatment is greatly overestimated. Researchers determined this with the use of electronic monitoring devices as well as by clinician rating.

"'Antipsychotic adherence was determined monthly over 3 consecutive months with the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) cap and the Clinician Rating Scale," explained M. Byerly and coauthors at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. 'Non-adherence was defined as daily adherence of <70% during any one of 3 monthly evaluations for MEMS and ratings of less than or equal to 4 (scale of 1-7) on the Clinician Rating Scale," according to the report. 'Non adherence was detected in 12 of 25 patients (48%) by MEMS and 0% by the Clinician Rating Scale'" (Biotech Week via NewRX.com, 2005).

This study exemplifies the fact that patients suffering from schizophrenia often do not follow the treatment guidelines outlined by their doctors. This may be do to side effects or the distrust that some patients with schizophrenia have of taking medication. It is possible that some of the patients who do not receive adequate relief from their symptoms are simply those who do not take their antipsychotics, or those who alter the dosage of their drugs. Altering the levels of antipsychotics that you are prescribed to take will obviously change how effective antipsychotics are going to be for you. Medication compliance is a problem for many families who have family members who are paranoid about taking their medication. It is a difficult situation for those who simply want their loved ones to improve.

The source of this story is Biotech Week via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net.

This research study was originally published in Psychiatry Research (A Comparison of Electronic Monitoring Vs. Clinician Rating of Antipsychotic Adherence In Outpatients With Schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res, 2005;133(2-3):129-33).