Adherence to Antipsychotics in Schizophrenia: Clinical Considerations-View Presentation Slides

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The document summarizes a 2019 webinar by the American Psychiatric Association on adherence to antipsychotic medications in schizophrenia, led by Dr. Oliver Freudenreich. It provides an overview of the significance of medication adherence in patients with schizophrenia and outlines strategies for improving it. Key considerations include understanding the importance of adherence to prevent relapses, which can lead to negative psychosocial and biological outcomes such as job loss, educational setbacks, and increased suicide risk.<br /><br />The document highlights the complex factors contributing to poor medication adherence, such as unresponsive biology, inadequate access to healthcare, comorbid disorders, and substance use. It emphasizes the role of medication adherence monitoring, including advancements in digital medicine. Technologies like the FDA-approved Digital Medicine System are discussed, which involve ingestible event markers to track medication intake.<br /><br />Adherence assessment methods such as self-reported behavior, treatment barriers, and the Brief Adherence Rating Scale (BARS) are explored. Therapeutic drug monitoring and digital medicine systems are presented as innovative approaches to enhance adherence, although challenges like medical privacy and patient acceptance need to be considered.<br /><br />The document also stresses a multi-pronged approach for adherence improvement, involving patient-centered strategies, environmental support, and effective treatment regimens like long-acting injectable antipsychotics. Risk factors for non-adherence, such as poor drug attitude and high side effect burden, require targeted interventions. Lastly, the presentation covers the societal context and potential risks of employing digital adherence monitoring, underscoring the importance of balancing technological solutions with patient-centric care.

Keywords

schizophrenia

medication adherence

antipsychotic medications

Digital Medicine System

Dr. Oliver Freudenreich

adherence strategies

therapeutic drug monitoring

long-acting injectables

patient-centered care

adherence barriers