A pharmacologic option to reduce hospital admissions and relapses of patients with severe mental illness

Abstract

Introduction

Some diseases relapses involve functional impairment that sometimes takes years to recover. We present our experience using long-acting aripiprazole as maintenance therapy in patients diagnosed with psychotic episode, acute mania (bipolar disorder) or personality disorder, who were previously treated with another anti-psychotic.

Aims

Analyze what treatment were they taking before aripiprazole depot. Determine the number of hospital admissions and relapses before and after long-acting aripiprazole treatment.

Methods

Descriptive analysis based on a sample of 37 patients, aged 18–65 years, treated during one year with anti-psychotics at two community mental health units.

Results

Reduction of hospitalization average: 0.59/year with non-long-acting-aripiprazol anti-psychotic, 0.18/year with long-acting aripiprazol (66.6%).

Conclusion

Long-acting aripiprazole appears to reduce the number of hospitalizations and relapses compared to other anti-psychotics. However, the sample size is small and more studies are needed.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.