| Summary: | Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness that requires lifelong treatment.1,2 Patients with schizophrenia are at an increased risk for numerous other medical illnesses, including suicide.1 In Canada, the disease affects about 1% of the population,2 or about 234,000 people (2004 data).3 Antipsychotic medications form the cornerstone of treatment for schizophrenia.2,4 Existing antipsychotic therapies fall into one of two classes: typical antipsychotics (TAP) and atypical antipsychotics (AAP). Both classes are considered equally effective in the treatment of positive symptoms. AAPs appear to be more effective in the treatment of negative symptoms.1 TAPs are associated with an increased incidence of adverse events (AEs) known as extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS);1 however, AAPs are associated with an increased risk of weight gain and metabolic AEs.1 Treatment of schizophrenia is typically divided into three phases: acute, stabilization, and maintenance. In the acute phase, the patient routinely experiences psychotic symptoms, with pharmacotherapy being initiated or adjusted as soon as possible.5,6 The role of antipsychotic maintenance medication in symptom control and the prevention of relapse of schizophrenia is well established. The underlying principles, when considering pharmacotherapy, include the individualization of medication (including patient preferences), uncomplicated medication regimens, appropriate dosing, regular evaluation of responses in general (including AEs), and short- and long-term clinical efficacy and safety. Aripiprazole prolonged release suspension for injection (Abilify Maintena, 300 mg or 400 mg intramuscularly [IM] monthly), an AAP, is approved by Health Canada for the maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in stabilized adult patients. The objective of this report is to evaluate the beneficial and harmful effects of aripiprazole IM for the maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in stabilized adult patients
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