Effectiveness of Switching From Antipsychotic Polypharmacy to Monotherapy

Abstract

Discontinuing one of two antipsychotics was followed by treatment discontinuation more often and more quickly than when both antipsychotics were continued. However, two-thirds of participants successfully switched, the groups did not differ with respect to symptom control, and switching to monotherapy resulted in weight loss. These results support the reasonableness of prescribing guidelines encouraging trials of antipsychotic monotherapy for individuals receiving antipsychotic polypharmacy, with the caveat that patients should be free to return to polypharmacy if an adequate trial on antipsychotic monotherapy proves unsatisfactory.