Antipsychotic Agent

Recent data revealed an increase in medication use among nursing home residents in Ontario, Canada, “with the potential for adverse effects” during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to researchers.

Preexisting mental disorders, particularly psychotic and mood disorders, as well as exposure to antipsychotics and anxiolytics, increased risk for COVID-19-related mortality.

Researchers reported differences in antipsychotic treatment discontinuation among veterans with schizophrenia in an observational study published in American Journal of Psychiatry.

Antipsychotic-naive patients with first-episode psychosis exhibited widespread functional dysconnectivity at baseline, according to results of a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Physicians should monitor cardiometabolic markers among patients on antipsychotics, according to results of a retrospective study presented at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting.

Olanzapine/samidorphan combination treatment reduced weight gain across several subgroups of individuals at increased risk for weight gain with olanzapine, according to results of a subgroup analysis.

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics provided significant benefit in prevention of hospitalization or relapse for schizophrenia compared with oral antipsychotics, according to study results published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Long-acting injectable formulations of paliperidone, aripiprazole and olanzapine had the highest effect sizes and certainty of evidence for relapse prevention and acceptability, researchers noted in American Journal of Psychiatry.

Long-acting injectable paliperidone use was associated with significant improvement in clinical and functional outcomes among individuals with schizophrenia, according to study results published in Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Opportunities exist to improve clinicians’ antipsychotic prescribing practices for homeless or unstably housed veterans, according to study results published in Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.