Optimizing pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia for individuals

Decisions regarding the pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia are based on a number of individual patient characteristics, including their clinical signs and symptoms, sensitivity to side effects, and psychiatric and medical comorbidities. The publication of recent guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association and the Schizophrenia Patient Outcome Research Team provides guidance for clinicians who are attempting to individualize pharmacologic treatment. Guidance is also provided from clinical studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of new formulations of second-generation antipsychotics and studies that evaluated the effectiveness of these agents in long-term studies. Recent data have also focused on important side effects of second-generation agents that can affect the long-term health of patients. These studies as well as recommendations from experts can assist clinicians who are selecting an antipsychotic for patients with serious medical problems such as sexual dysfunction, diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemias.