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Combined antipsychotics for ‘difficult-to-manage’ and forensic patients with schizophrenia: reasons for prescribing and perceived benefits

St Andrew’s Hospital, Billing Road, Northampton, NN15DG

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

We aimed to examine reasons for initiating and continuing the prescription of combined antipsychotics. A structured interview was carried out with the responsible medical officers for 40 ‘difficult-to-manage’ tertiary referral patients with schizophrenia who were regularly treated with two or more antipsychotics.

RESULTS

Lack of efficacy of monotherapy was the main reason for initiating and continuing combined antipsychotics. Other reasons for continuing combined antipsychotics included not wishing to change medication as the patient was reasonably well, and safety considerations. Perceived benefits of combined antipsychotics included fewer positive symptoms and less disturbed behaviour.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

‘Difficult-to-manage’ and forensic treatment-resistant patients with schizophrenia pose a particular therapeutic challenge. Use of combined antipsychotics, although not evidence-based, is perceived by some psychiatrists as beneficial when other options have failed.

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