The purpose of the study was to understand the impact of using antipsychotics in the treatment of schizophrenic and schizoaffective disorders related to the quality of life and overall social functioning of schizophrenic patients. In addition to this, the study monitored and compared the efficacy of classical, commonly used antipsychotics to that of atypical antipsychotic drugs with respect to the velocity and degree of reduction in symptoms of the primary disease. The 160 respondents who participated in this research were divided into two groups of 80. The respondents in the first group (A) were treated with atypical antipsychotics, whereas the respondents in the second group were treated with classical antipsychotics. The respondents were observed over a one-year monitoring period. Therapeutic effect of the used medicamentous therapy was monitored by means of a PANSS and CGI scales, while the velocity and degree of reduction in social functioning was monitored using the Quality of Life scale (QLS) Heinrich-Hanlon-Carpenter- scale. The results show a remarkably improved social rehabilitation and a better quality of life, as well as higher reduction in symptoms among the respondents treated with atypical antipsychotics compared to the ones treated with classical antipsychotics.
Key words: schizophrenia, antipsychotics, quality of life
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