Aripiprazole and Adherence to Antipsychotic Treatment Plans

The percentage of patients who fail to adhere to treatment plans involving antipsychotics is extremely high. Non-adherence is primarily caused by patients stopping their antipsychotic medications because of their associated side effects. Non-adherence to treatment plans can trigger many problems for patients, including illness relapse and re-hospitalization. Many healthcare professionals have a suboptimal working knowledge of antipsychotic medication side effects, and this lack of knowledge may compromise patient care. Healthcare professionals may assist patients in mitigating common side effects to reduce non-adherence. One option is the selection of aripiprazole as the antipsychotic treatment choice. Aripiprazole can have a more favorable profile regarding side effects generally seen with antipsychotics, which could lead to better patient adherence to treatment plans.