Psychiatr. praxi. 2011;12(4):166-168

Would therapeutic drug monitoring improve adherence and efficaccy of treatment in schizophrenia?

prof.MUDr.Eva Češková, CSc.

CEITEC-MU, Psychiatrická klinika LF MU a FN Brno

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is considered to be a valid tool for optimization of pharmacotherapy, however, in clinical practice

is rarely used. TDM may help to answer the questions important for a choice of treatment strategy, e.g. whether the patient takes the

drug and whether the drug is taken in a sufficient dose. The most common causes of nontherapeutic range of plasma levels include

non-adherence and pharmacokinetic interaction. Clozapine still represents the gold standard in the treatment of pharmacoresistant

schizophrenia and optimal plasma levels for acute and maintenance clozapine treatment are well known. Literature and our experience

show that TMD in clinically defined patients subgroups is clinically advantageous.

Keywords: therapeutic drug monitoring, pharmacoresistance, schizophrenia, clozapine, plasma levels

Published: October 22, 2011  Show citation