THERAPEUTIC MONITORING OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC DRUGS

Schizophrenia affects some 1% of adults during their lifetime and can be a very serious illness - about 10% of patients die an unnatural death, usually suicide. In the UK some 210,000 people (worldwide of the order of 50 million) suffer from the disease. Families, friends, and others are of course affected indirectly. Today the estimated cost of treating schizophrenia is 2.5% of total healthcare costs in Western countries – for the NHS 2008-9 this amounts to some £2.4 billion; there are additional contributions from the private sector and other agencies such as the Home Office. Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder, typically arising in early adulthood and progressing throughout the rest of the individual’s life. It is slightly more common in males than females, but usually occurs earlier and is more serious in males. Symptoms are protean, but are generally characterised by three groups: • ‘Positive’: delusions, hallucinations, disorganised behaviour, impaired communication. • ‘Negative’: social withdrawal, poverty of thought and speech, blunted affect, lack of drive. • Cognitive dysfunction: affecting insight, memory, reasoning, etc.