Pharmacotherapy for treatment-refractory schizophrenia.

INTRODUCTION: despite advances in pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, a large percentage of persons with schizophrenia remain at least partially nonresponsive to treatment, leading to increased morbidity/mortality, increased healthcare cost, and poor quality of life for affected individuals. AREAS COVERED: this paper comprises a review of recent research in drug therapy for schizophrenia, particularly treatment-refractory schizophrenia, with a focus on research conducted between 2005 and June 2010. Databases that were searched include: Pubmed, CINAHL, Science Direct, Medline and Clinical Trials.gov. Primary search terms were 'treatment-refractory schizophrenia' and 'treatment-resistant schizophrenia', with cross reference to specific agents covered in this article. An objective perspective on current trends in pharmacotherapy for treatment-refractory schizophrenia. We review the available evidence and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of published data in this field. EXPERT OPINION: although there have been many advances in pharmacotherapy for schizophrenia, more well-designed trials are required to establish true efficacy and safety of current prescribing trends in clinical practice.