PhD Conferral Mr. Georgios Schoretsanitis, MSc.

Keywords: psychotropic agents, drug levels, dosage, adverse reactions

"Risperidone-based therapeutic regimens; Drug interactions and adverse drug reactions"

When prescribing psychotropic agents clinicians may measure drug levels in blood of patients, specifically, in case of adverse reactions, lacking response for suggested dosages or prescription of multiple psychotropic agents (PA). This doctoral thesis leveraged blood levels to understand interactions between co-prescribed PA and adverse reactions (ADRs) focusing on the antipsychotic risperidone. Findings unraveled interactions between different PAs. When measuring blood levels in patients with ADRs related to risperidone, the role of the active metabolite was highlighted. Further, a performed meta-analysis reported no sex differences for weight gain related to risperidone or olanzapine. Blood levels can help clinicians minimize ADRs.