Jornal de Citologia e Histologia

Three Cases of Schizoaffective Disorder: Different Pharmacological Interventions

Abstract

Felix-Martin Werner

Schizoaffective disorder is a psychiatric disease with schizophrenic and affective, i.e. depressive, manic or bipolar symptoms. Three cases are presented, while the course of the disease and a different pharmacological treatment are described. The first patient suffers from a recurrent form with bipolar symptoms. The antipsychotic treatment was switched from haloperidol to clozapine with a superior antipsychotic effect and the two moodstabilzing drugs lithium and carbamazepine. The second patient suffers from recurrent schizomanic symptoms and finally the patient is administered the second-generation antipsychotic drug olanzapine, which reduces negative schizophrenic symptoms. The third patient shows recurrent schizomanic symptoms as well. The antipsychotic treatment was switched to quetiapine with a high affinity for the 5-HT2A receptor. The mechanism of action and the adverse effects of the prescribed drugs are pointed out. The patients remained stable, because they adhere to the pharmacological treatment and because they are socially integrated.