Changing antipsychotic drugs - hopetomatchsoon

[ArchivalUser]

A schizophrenic patient has been maintained on olanzapine for the past 6 months. He complains of daytime sedation, and has lost 2 jobs in the past month because of impaired performance. What is the next step in management?

According to MTB, the correct approach is to prescribe risperidone, a first choice drug for the treatment of schizophrenia when sedation is a problem. However, it doesn't say anything about whether to continue or stop olanzapine? So what should we do with olanzapine then? Taper it down?

Does anybody know?

[ArchivalUser]

I believe Olanzapine has been replaced with Risperidone due to side effects.

[ArchivalUser]

Ok so does olanzapine get tapered down? Or do you stop it completely?

[ArchivalUser]

When we are awitching from one antipsychotic to another cross taper is done. Decrease olanzapine & start Risperidone at a low dose.Decrease one & increase dose of the other

[ArchivalUser]

Perfect thanks!