14.3 : 精神病：薬物療法の目標

Antipsychotic drugs help treat acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders.

The choice of antipsychotic depends on the patient's clinical condition, potential drug interactions, and sensitivity to side effects.

Short-term treatment helps exacerbate symptoms of delirium, dementia, and Parkinson's disease psychosis. It requires low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents.

The immediate goals of acute antipsychotic treatment encompass reducing agitation, enhancing thought organization, and mitigating social withdrawal.

However, maintaining treatment adherence can be challenging due to adverse drug events, cognitive impairment, substance misuse, and limited insight. Using long-acting injectable or depot antipsychotics can help prevent psychotic relapses in such cases.

Furthermore, in chronic conditions like schizophrenia and delusional disorder, extending antipsychotic treatment beyond the resolution of symptoms significantly reduces relapse rates.

In instances of treatment-refractory illness, where patients do not respond to standard drug treatments, options like clozapine or electroconvulsive therapy may be considered.