Long-acting antipsychotics delay hospital admission: trial

Seven patients would need to be treated with the injectable medication to prevent one admission, the researchers say
Clare Pain
intramuscular injection

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics can stave off the need for hospitalisation among younger adults with early schizophrenia, a trial shows.

In the US-based PRELAPSE trial, 39 psychiatric outpatient clinics were randomised to either treatment of all consenting patients with schizophrenia aged 18-35 with monthly long-acting aripiprazole injection (LAI) or treatment chosen by their psychiatrist.