Assessment of long-acting neuroleptics. Methods and problems.
Long-acting neuroleptics, without offering a therapeutic breakthrough in the treatment of schizophrenia, are nevertheless a definite step in the management of patients with this disorder. The adequate assessment of these agents necessitates methodological considerations to ensure first, just and adequate patient selection, secondly, adaptations to the drug's characteristics, thridly, sufficient duration of the study and finally, special precautions in the assessment of toxicity. Furthermore, the patient management in these studies must ensure continued and easy accessibility of the simultaneously investigating and treating team.
Assessment of long-acting neuroleptics. Methods and problems. Long-acting neuroleptics, without offering a therapeutic breakthrough in the treatment of schizophrenia, are nevertheless a definite step in the management of patients with this disorder. The adequate assessment of these agents necessitates methodological considerations to ensure first, just and adequate patient selection, secondly, adaptations to the drug's characteristics, thridly, sufficient duration of the study and finally, special precautions in the assessment of toxicity. Furthermore, the patient management in these studies must ensure continued and easy accessibility of the simultaneously investigating and treating team.