Dose reduction and discontinuation of antipsychotic medication.

In 1977 staff members on a 30-bed inpatient ward in a state hospital implemented a program to discontinue the medication of chronic schizophrenic patients who had been hospitalized continuously for five years or more. Six-month follow-up of the 15 patients who met the selection criteria showed that seven were still off medication, and two had improved enough to be discharged. The program was later adopted throughout the hospital; an audit conducted 90 days after its implementation showed that 31 per cent of the patients hospitalized continuously for 90 days or longer were not receiving antipsychotic medication. The authors emphasize the benefits to patients of reducing or discontinuing antipsychotic medication where possible.