Schizophrenia Signs and Symptoms

Signs and Symptoms

Definition

Schizophrenia is a devastating mental illness characterized by symptoms eg hallucinations, disorganized thinking, loss of goal-directed behaviors and deterioration in social role functioning

Epidemiology

It has approximately 0.3-0.7% lifetime prevalence but there are reported variation by race/ethnicity, across countries and by geographic origin
- In a 2012 incidence review in England, there is a pooled incidence 15 per 100,000 person between 1950 and 2009 with rates varied according to age and gender
It has a lifetime risk of suicide of 7%
It is equally prevalent in men and women

Signs and Symptoms

Positive Symptoms

Delusions
Formal thought disorder
Distorted perceptions/perceptual disturbances

Negative Symptoms

Flat or blunted emotions
Lack of motivation or energy
Lack of pleasure or interest in things
Limited speech

Disorganized Symptoms

Confused thinking and disorganized speech
Disorganized behavior

Cognitive Symptoms

Impairment in verbal fluency, memory, executive functioning

Product Highlight - Spravato

01 Dec 2021

Esketamine nasal spray 28 mg per device

HCV pangenotypic DAA therapy in a patient with concomitant antipsychotic treatment

Dr. Ting-Ting Chan, 27 Oct 2023

A 43-year-old male former intravenous drug user presented with incidental findings of elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) levels in December 2021. The patient had depression and drug-induced psychosis associated with previous heroin, ketamine and methamphetamine use. He was on quetiapine 300 mg daily for his psychotic symptoms, pantoprazole 40 mg daily as needed for occasional acid reflux, and simvastatin 10 mg daily for hyperlipidaemia. He did not have hepatitis B virus (HBV) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection.

Long-acting ART effective in and preferred by PLHIV

Dr. Moti Ramgopal, 19 Apr 2023

Cabotegravir (CAB) plus rilpivirine (RPV) is currently the only long-acting (LA) injectable antiretroviral therapy (ART) recommended for people living with HIV (PLHIV) who have achieved viral suppression with oral medications. At the 30^th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2023) in Seattle, Washington, US, Dr Moti Ramgopal of the Midway Immunology and Research Center in Fort Pierce, Florida, US, presented 12-month results of the SOLAR (Switch Onto Long-Acting Regimen) study, which demonstrated the efficacy, safety and improved patient satisfaction of LA CAB + RPV in PLHIV vs daily oral ART.