The drug treatment of patients with schizophrenia

Abstract

Patients with schizophrenia are managed more and more in the community, with care that demands close collaboration between community mental health teams and general practitioners.1 Treatment with antipsychotic drugs is one essential part of management, which should also include social and psychological support for the patient and carers. The drugs are given both to control acute psychotic symptoms and, in the long term, to prevent relapse. Once started, treatment may be continued lifelong, so it is essential that the diagnosis is established beyond reasonable doubt. In this article we review the drug treatment of schizophrenia.