A Case of Schizophrenia in a Young Male Adult with no History ofSubstance Abuse: Impact of Clinical Pharmacists’Interventionson Patient Outcome

Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language,sense of self, and behaviour. This report presents the role of clinical pharmacists in the management of a patient diagnosed withschizophrenia with symptoms of paranoia. A gainfully employed young African male adult reported to be roaming around townmoving from one bank to another was arrested. The patient was referred to the psychiatric unit of a hospital and diagnosed withschizophrenia. Key interventions offered included rapid tranquilization, electroconvulsive therapy, and psychotherapy.Medications administered to the patient while on admission included IV diazepam, IM haloperidol, IV Ketamine, IMflupentixol, olanzapine tablets, and trihexyphenidyl tablets. Issues raised by clinical pharmacists during the patient’s admissionincluded need for alternative medication for rapid tranquilization, need for initial investigations and documentation of thepatient’s vitals, initiation of antipsychotic therapy without initial monitoring and screening for substance abuse, inappropriatedose at initiation of antipsychotic medications, untreated indication, and incidence of missed doses. Interventions by the clinicalpharmacists contributed to improvement in the patient’s symptoms prior to hospital discharge. The case proves that it is criticalfor clinical pharmacists to be involved in the multidisciplinary team during management of patients with psychosis