Alternatives to clozapine in a schizophrenic patient with a history of treatment-resistance and non-compliance: A case report

Abstract

Mr. Pardeep Dhaliwal, Mr. Stanley Lee, Dr. Alin Dumitrescu

Schizophrenia is one of the most debilitating psychiatric illnesses, and 30-50% of cases can be classified as treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). There is no standard definition for TRS, though it is generally accepted as failure of at least 2 different antipsychotic medications. The gold-standard treatment for TRS is clozapine monotherapy, though it is stopped in up to 57% of patients. This is complicated in the approximately 40% of patients who are non-compliant to long-term oral medication. Combination therapy shows some promise for patients in whom standard therapy is ineffective.