Polypharmacy and relapse of schizophrenia: are they related?

INTRODUCTION: Polypharmacy can be the cause of deliberate discontinuation of medication and consequent relapse of schizophrenia. OBJECTIVES: To establish the one-year rate of relapse in the patients with schizophrenia with regard to monotherapy or polypharmacy. METHODS: The sample of all hospitalized patients with schizophrenia in a five-year period was analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: Total of 87 participants (57 women), the median age was 43 years. Antipsychotic monotherapy was used in 31 (35.6%) of the participants. In one year period, 32 (36.8%) of all participants had a relapse. Prior to relapse, significantly more participants were treated with polypharmacy (p<0,05). CONCLUSIONS: Antipsychotic polypharmacy is related to a higher rate of relapse in patients with schizophrenia. DISCLOSURE: No significant relationships.