Essay Example: Comparative Trial for Schizophrenia Medications

Schizophrenia is a chronic syndrome characterized by disillusioned thoughts, delusions, hallucinations, impaired psychological and social functioning and deficiency in cognitive abilities. The ideal treatment which is recommended by pharmacologists for treatment of schizophrenia is second generation antipsychotics also known as SGAs. Clozapine works by binding with serotonin and dopamine receptors and thereby reducing depression, anxiety and cognitive deficiency. Seroquel binds to serotonin, dopamine, adrenergic, antihistamine and anticholinergic. Seroquel and clozapine thus by binding with these receptors causes the balancing of neurotransmitters in the brain.

Seroquel which also goes by the name quetiapine is an oral medication that is recommended to be used for treatment of schizophrenia in adults and children above 13 years old. Seroquel is recommended for patients for patients with imbalanced neurotransmitters in their brain, patients suffering from hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thoughts, antisocial tendencies, lack of motivation and concentration and reduced cognitive functioning. Seroquel should also be considered for schizophrenia patients suffering from severe mood swings, low energy levels, poor appetite and insomnia. Erythromycin, fluconazole and nefazodone increase effects of seroquel and its effectiveness (Maglione M, 2011). Clozapine on the other hand is an oral medication that is recommended for patients suffering from severe schizophrenia from the age of 10 years. Clozapine should be prescribed for patients with neurotransmitters imbalance, hallucinations and suicidal tendencies. Clozapine should be considered for patients suffering from schizophrenia who have not had their condition improved even after using other antipsychotic treatments and medications.

Seroquel should be excluded from prescription to patients suffering from dementia since it may increase the death rate for dementia patients in their old age. Seroquel is also excluded from patients suffering from liver diseases, kidney diseases, heart conditions, stroke, high and low blood pressure, patients with low white blood cell count, abnormal thyroid conditions, seizures, cataracts, high cholesterol levels and diabetes. Seroquel should also be excluded long prescriptions for young patients since it increases suicidal thoughts. Nursing mothers must also be excluded from using seroquel to treat schizophrenia. Seroquel should be excluded from patients already using some treatments for Parkinson diseases including levodopa, bromocriptine, ropinirole and pramipexole. Patients using some antipsychotics including asenapine, thioridazine and also antiarrhythmics such as sotalol should not use seroquel (Maglione M, 2011). The exclusion criteria for clozapine includes patients using fluvoxamine, carbamazepine, and benzodiazepines. Clozapine should also be excluded from nursing mothers, patients with heart diseases, QT syndrome, electrolyte imbalance, seizures, head injuries, diabetes, high cholesterol, bowel obstruction, liver and kidney diseases, glaucoma, enlarged prostates, malnourished patients and smokers.

Bibliography

Maglione M, M. A. (2011, September 8). Off Label Use of Atypical Antipsychotics: An Update. Retrieved from PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22132426