Comparative Effectiveness of Adaptive Pharmacotherapy Strategies for Schizophrenia

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that affects approximately 2.4 million Americans. It typically begins in early adulthood and is a major cause of disability. The core treatment for schizophrenia is antipsychotic medication, but the majority of individuals with schizophrenia are treated with more than one psychotropic medication simultaneously. Common additional treatments include benzodiazepines, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and other antipsychotics. However, none of these treatment strategies have strong evidence to support their use.  “I have schizophrenia and take an antipsychotic drug but still have symptoms that interfere with my daily life.” “I have schizophrenia and take an antipsychotic drug but often feel depressed.”