long term treatment
Last reviewed 01/2018
Patients with a good prognosis (see prognostic indicators) who are responding well to treatment should be able to leave hospital within 2-4 weeks, and should be encouraged to return to a normal life as soon as possible. Unless there is evidence of a previous relapsing illness or other chronic risk factors, medication can be cautiously reduced and stopped as an out-patient over the next couple of months, but in view of the uncertainty of prognosis, someone, perhaps the general practitioner, must be alert to the risk of relapse.
Poor prognosis patients need full assessment and plans for continued follow-up and treatment.