The Medical journal of Australia
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Pharmacological treatment remains the mainstay of the management of schizophrenia. Older, "typical" antipsychotics carry a significant burden of side effects, notably extrapyramidal and neurocognitive side effects. ⋯ The choice of particular agents for individual patients requires a balancing of efficacy and side effects. Medication is only one element of what should be an individualised comprehensive treatment plan for people with schizophrenia.
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Patients who fail to respond adequately to pharmacological treatment present an ongoing therapeutic challenge. The term "incomplete recovery" (IR) is preferred to the current term "treatment resistance" to describe these patients. ⋯ Adjunctive treatment strategies (eg, mood stabilisers, antidepressants, combinations of antipsychotics) may be useful, but should be undertaken in specialist psychiatric settings. Although pharmacological treatment is a necessary first step in managing incompletely recovered patients, adjunctive psychosocial interventions are needed to optimise treatment success.