Pseudo-Resistant Schizophrenia: Non-Adherence to Treatment
10.16946/kjsr.2020.23.2.51
- Author:
Hyerim KIM
1
;
Seung Jae LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
- Publication Type:Review Article
- From:Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
2020;23(2):51-57
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) has been defined as the persistence of positive symptoms despite two or more trials of antipsychotic medication of adequate dose and duration. TRS is a serious clinical problem and occurs in approximately 30% of patients with schizophrenia. It is important that patients who do not adequately respond to antipsychotics be reevaluated to exclude or address causes other than non-responsiveness to medication, that is, the possibility of pseudo-resistance. In particular, non-adherence to oral antipsychotic treatment should be monitored to rule out pseudo-resistant cases of TRS. Moreover, patients with TRS who take their medication as required may have subtherapeutic antipsychotic plasma levels, secondary to pharmacokinetic factors. In this paper, we review the concept and exclusion of pseudo-resistance, especially owing to non-adherence or pharmacokinetic factors, and present methods to enhance drug adherence.
