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Patients' opinions of olanzapine and risperidone following long-term treatment: results from a cross-sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION
The present study compares the subjective responses of patients in the stable phase of schizophrenia being treated with either olanzapine or risperidone.


METHODS
Several well-established, self-report inventories were used in this investigation, providing a means of assessing the impact of these medications from the perspective of the patient.


RESULTS
Patients randomly sampled from a continuing care clinic had been receiving treatment with olanzapine and risperidone for an average of 140 weeks and 225 weeks, respectively. The two treatment groups report highly positive attitudes toward their medication and a relatively high overall level of well-being and health-related quality of life. All patients report high levels of satisfaction with the mental health services they receive and their general health status. Olanzapine-treated patients were more likely to report reduced social and family interaction, as well as reduced sexual behavior and less participation in active recreational and pastime activities. Patients on olanzapine also reported greater difficulty in thinking clearly and more feelings of uselessness and of being lost and alone. The occurrence of antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia and akathisia was low in both treatment groups.


DISCUSSION
Results point to a high level of subjective tolerability for both olanzapine and risperidone, with few differences between the two medications on the subjective dimensions of outcome assessed in this study. Future studies should expand on the findings here, building on the limitations toward a large study including a comparison group receiving long-term treatment with typical antipsychotics. Ultimately, the goal should be the incorporation of patient-oriented assessments into routine clinical practice. This is particularly important given the relationship among satisfaction with treatment, compliance, and quality of life.