Targeting Novel Pathways to Address Unmet Needs in Schizophrenia Treatment is organized by Healio, Vindico Medical Education.
Release Date: November 30, 2023
Expiration Date: November 29, 2024
Activity Description:
Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric disease characterized by difficulties in thinking and communicating as well as psychosis (ie, “positive” symptoms); difficulty functioning socially (ie, “negative” symptoms); and cognitive impairment. Schizophrenia is incurable, and most people with schizophrenia do not spontaneously recover. As many as 34% of patients with schizophrenia have treatment-resistant schizophrenia, defined as continuing symptoms despite at least 2 trials of appropriate antipsychotic therapies. Most current treatments for schizophrenia have focused on dopamine (ie, first- and second-generation antipsychotics), which can improve the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. However, these therapies are associated with adverse effects, including extrapyramidal symptoms and metabolic side effects, and may increase the risk for cardiometabolic problems, hyperprolactinemia, sexual dysfunction, and menstrual irregularities. No therapies are currently available to improve the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. In recent years, the elucidation of the role of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia has increased. The development and investigation of agents targeting the muscarinic system have demonstrated that these agents may be viable treatment options for patients with schizophrenia and have been shown to improve the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. In this program, experts assess the symptom and treatment burdens faced by patients with schizophrenia and examine the mechanisms of action, safety, and efficacy of emerging agents with novel therapeutic targets to treat all symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Interprofessional strategies for incorporating novel therapeutic agents into patient-focused management plans are highlighted in a panel discussion. The activity also features a caregiver video.
Learning Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:
• Assess symptom and treatment burden faced by patients with schizophrenia.
• Examine the mechanism of action, safety, and efficacy of emerging agents with novel therapeutic targets to treat all symptoms associated with schizophrenia.
• Discuss interprofessional strategies for incorporating novel therapeutic agents into patient-focused management plans.