Antipsychotic Treatment of Schizophrenics at Risk for Violence

 

 Buy Article Permissions and Reprints

We read with interest a recent paper of Steinert et al. [1], who indicated at a reduced risk for violence in schizophrenic patients following initiation of neuroleptic treatment. The authors performed a retrospective chart review in 138 patients with schizophrenia for all notes of aggression, including self-directed aggression, and found a highly significant decline in aggressive incidents after the start of neuroleptic treatment and discuss their findings with respect to the risk for violence and aggression in schizophrenia. Since this topic has found considerable psychiatric attention over the last months, it may be of interest to discuss some methodological aspects of the study performed by Steinert et al. as well as some general aspects of neuroleptic treatment in schizophrenics at risk for violence.

References

• 1 Steinert T, Sippach T, Gehardt R P. How Common is Violence in Schizophrenia despite Neuroleptic Treatment?.  Pharmacopsychiatry. 2000;  33 98-102
  Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 2 Shaw J. Assessing the risk for Violence in patients.  BMJ. 2000;  320 1088-1089
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 3 Sanders J, Milne S, Brown P, Bell A J. Assessment of aggression in psychiatry admissions: semistructured interview and case note survey.  BMJ. 2000;  320 1112
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 4 Mullen P E, Burgess P, Wallace C, Palmer S, Ruschena D. Community care and criminal offending in schizophrenia.  Lancet. 2000;  355 614-617
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 5 Soyka M. Substance abuse, psychiatric disorder and disturbed behavior.  Br J Psychiatry. 2000;  176 345-350
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 6 Soyka M. Dual Diagnosis in Patients with Schizophrenia: Issues in Pharmacologica Treatment.  CNS Drugs. 2000;  6 414-425
  PubMedGoogle Scholar
• 7 Mikhail S W, Kennedy H G. Homicide, novel antipsychotics, and non-compliance.  Lancet. 2000;  355 1189
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 8 Kasper S. The violent patient in the community. In: Lader M, Naber D (eds) Difficul Clinical Problems in Psychiatry. London; Martin Dunitz 1999: 199-211
  Google Scholar
• 9 Ratey J J, Leveroni C, Kilmer D. et al . The effects of clozapine on severely aggressive psychiatric inpatients in a state hospital.  J Clin Psychiatry. 1993;  54 219-223
  PubMedGoogle Scholar

Dr. med. Michael Soyka

Psychiatrische Klinik
Universität München

Nußbaumstraße 7

80336 München

Germany