TITLE:
Very-high-dose olanzapine for treatment-resistant schizophrenia
AUTHORS:
Jean-Marie Batail, Sophie Bleher, Clément Lozachmeur, Gabriel Robert, Bruno Millet, Dominique Drapier
KEYWORDS:
Schizophrenia; Treatment Resistance; High-Dose Olanzapine; Treatment Tolerance
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.2 No.4,
October
31,
2012
ABSTRACT: Treatment-resistant schizophrenia has an extremely negative impact on mental health and social life. If clozapine, the gold standard treatment, fails, there are very few options left. The literature suggests that high-dose olanzapine (20 - 60 mg/day) is a possible alternative. We report two cases in which very high doses of olanzapine were administered, with significant clinical improvements above 60 mg/day. Clinical, metabolic and cardiac tolerance was good. This report highlights the usefulness of very-high-dose olanzapine in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. The main hypotheses concerning the psychopharmacological mechanisms of very-high-dose olanzapine are discussed.