A practical guide to prescribing long-acting injectable medications: Clinically informed technological aspects and algorithmic approaches for enhanced understanding and implementation in clinical practice

Abstract

It is very well documented and supported by the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) study that patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders do not adhere to medications adequately. Long-acting injectable (LAI) medications have been consistently shown to improve compliance with treatment in patients living with these disorders. However, the complexity of navigating the available long-acting injections and selective preference by providers has resulted in less-than-optimal use of these favorable formulations. In this paper, we summarize each medication available, represent computer generated graphics to aid understand the dosing logic as well as easy to follow algorithm in a hope to increase the prescription of LAI by community psychiatrist and advanced nonphysician psychiatric healthcare providers.