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| |  Schizophrenia Treatment Side Effects May Cause Patients To Discontinue Medication MANCHESTER, ENGLAND -- Oct. 5, 1998 -- The results of an international study released today show that many patients with schizophrenia stop taking their antipsychotic medication because of the side effects they experience. The study also suggests that many medical professionals do not routinely ask about side effects and underestimate the proportion of patients suffering from them. The results of the study will be presented to psychiatrists at the forthcoming ECNP conference in Paris on Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, 1998. These findings suggest that there are patients suffering treatment side effects which are not recognised and addressed by their psychiatrist -- and they may stop taking their medication and risk a consequent relapse of their illness as a result. Sixty six percent of psychiatrists and 48 percent of patients who took part in the study considered antipsychotic side effects to be a major reason for non-compliance with medication. According to psychiatrists, 63 percent of patients have suffered from EPS (involuntary movement side effects) and 29 to 37 percent from sexual side effects. This differed from the actual experiences of the patients involved in the study -- 87 percent of patients reported suffering EPS and 47 percent had experienced sexual side effects. The study, undertaken by Dr. Jonathan Hellewell, a consultant psychiatrist from The Trafford General Hospital in Manchester, England, Complete Market Research Ltd. and Zeneca Pharmaceuticals involved focus group discussion and structured interviews with over 1,300 psychiatrists, nurses, patients and their carers from six countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States). "The results certainly show that the side effects of antipsychotic drugs are an important factor in a patient's decision to discontinue medication," Dr. Hellewell said. "And yet, there is the suggestion that we as psychiatrists perhaps do not enquire about side effects quite as much as we might. Also, we can see that many patients are quite understandably reluctant to bring up these problems with their doctor or nurse. "In view of this, it is perhaps not surprising that the side effects of antipsychotic therapy very often go unrecognised." The side effects most commonly linked to many older antipsychotic drugs include a syndrome of involuntary muscle movements, for example tremors, writhing movements of the face, mouth or hands, muscle spasms and uncontrollable restlessness collectively called extrapyramidal symptoms or EPS. Many patients in the study found these side effects distressing, particularly uncontrollable restlessness and tremors which they considered to be among the most serious side effects for them. While less willing to discuss the hormonal side effects of treatment, such as problems with sexual arousal and performance and the development of breast tissue in men, the study indicated that up to 47 percent of patients had experienced one or more of these side effects. "The fact is that we now have a number of new atypical antipsychotic drugs available which seem to have fewer side effects than the older drugs and which we could use to avoid some of the most distressing side effects that these patients are suffering,” Dr. Hellewell said. “These results show how important it is that we encourage our patients to discuss their side effects with members of the healthcare team. If we know what side effects are bothering our patients then we can do something about it, particularly with the new medications that are now becoming more widely available. "So, with better communication and the newer treatments we can all work with our patients to improve their symptoms and help them live life to the full."
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