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Olanzapine as medication of first choice in therapy-resistant schizophrenia?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

J. à Campo*
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Hospital Welterhof, Heerlen, The Netherlands
H. Nijman
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Hospital Welterhof, Heerlen, The Netherlands Department of Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
H. Merckelbach
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
*
Psychiatrisch Centrum Welterhof, P.O. Box 4436, 6401 CX Heerlen, The Netherlands

Summary

A case history of a thirty-one year old schizophrenic female who was treated with olanzapine is described. Olanzapine is a relatively new atypical antipsychotic drug with a dopamine antagonistic as well as a potent serotonine antagonistic effect. Olanzapine was prescribed effectively after haloperidol, flupentixol chloride, and clozapine had not lead to (lasting) improvements of the psychiatric condition of the patient. Considering the efficacy and the limited risks of this relatively new antipsychotic medication the question arises as to whether olanzapine should be considered as the drug of first choice for patients who do not benefit from treatment with a typical neuroleptic drug.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 1998

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References

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