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Treating Prodromal Episodes to Prevent Relapse in Schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2018

Marvin I. Herz ,
William Glazer ,
Mahmud Mirza ,
Marcelle Mostert  and
Hisham Hafez
Marvin I. Herz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York
William Glazer
Affiliation:
Yale University School of Medicine
Mahmud Mirza
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York
Marcelle Mostert
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York
Hisham Hafez
Affiliation:
Adult Psychiatry, Nashua Brookside Hospital, New York
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Extract

Our current study compares intermittent medication with maintenance medication in the treatment of stable schizophrenic out-patients. According to the intermittent approach, known active medication is given only when the patient develops prodromal signs of relapse and until the patient restabilises. After restabilisation, medication is discontinued. The impetus for this work came as the result of our interest in finding ways to diminish the incidence of tardive dyskinesia. Many investigators believe that tardive dyskinesia is generally related to the amount of neuroleptic medication a patient has taken during his lifetime. Since it is routine for many aftercare clinics to maintain these patients indefinitely on antipsychotic medication, ways must be found to reduce the amount of medication taken by chronic schizophrenic patients. This paper will present the background ideas and preliminary studies which led to the present study and preliminary results of the present study.

Type
V. From the Perspective of Self-help and Work with Relatives
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 155 , Issue S5: Schizophrenia as a Systems Disorder: The Relevance of Mediating Processes for Theory and Therapy , July 1989 , pp. 123 - 127
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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