The relationship between drug dose and efficacy and side effects

  It is generally said that the doses of antipsychotics presented in the instructions of pharmaceutical companies are conservative. After actual application, it is found that a slightly higher dose can significantly increase the efficacy. However, if the dose is increased, the efficacy is not necessarily better, and the side effects are significantly increased. This is the “relationship between drug dose and efficacy and side effects” of antipsychotics, please refer to the following pictures: Figure 1 Figure 1 shows the “relationship between drug dose and efficacy and side effects” of olanzapine. The severity of side effects rises diagonally with increasing dose, while the efficacy rises in an S-shape. The graph shows that the efficacy of olanzapine is more obvious when it is increased to 20 mg per day. If the dosage is increased to 25 mg, the efficacy is better, while the side effects are not increased too much, which seems to be the appropriate dosage. If it is used above 30 mg, the increase in efficacy is less than ideal, while the severity of side effects increases linearly, and that would be more than worth the cost.  Figure 2 shows the relationship between drug dose and efficacy and side effects for amisulpride. As can be seen, the increase in efficacy from 800 mg/day to 1200 mg/day is extremely pronounced, while the increase in side effects is modest. If the dose exceeds 1400 mg, the increase in efficacy is less than desirable, while the severity of side effects increases dramatically, which is more than worth the cost.