Medication adherence in schizophrenia: patient perspectives and the clinical utility of paliperidone ER

Review

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Authors: Michael Birnbaum, Zafar Sharif

Published Date December 2008 Volume 2008:2 Pages 233 - 240

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S3346

Michael Birnbaum¹, Zafar Sharif²

¹St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, 1111 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY, USA; ²Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

Abstract: Antipsychotic medications provide the foundation for treatment of acute exacerbations as well as relapse prevention in patients with schizophrenia as demonstrated by rigorous placebo-controlled trials. However, despite their proven effectiveness, poor adherence to prescribed antipsychotic regimens remains the most important driver of suboptimal clinical outcomes in this population. This paper reviews the magnitude of the problem of medication non-adherence in patients with schizophrenia and the various factors that contribute to nonadherence, with particular emphasis on factors related to antipsychotic medications. The profile of the latest atypical antipsychotic, paliperidone extended-release (ER) tablets, is then reviewed and the implications of its unique pharmacokinetic profile for adherence in this patient population are discussed.

Keywords: schizophrenia, adherence, paliperidone, pharmacokinetics