Large Simple Trial (LST) Of Cardiovascular Safety Of Ziprasidone And Olanzapine- (Zodiac)

• Drug: Ziprasidone
• Drug: Olanzapine

• Fleischhacker WW, Kane JM, Geier J, Karayal O, Kolluri S, Eng SM, Reynolds RF, Strom BL. Completed and attempted suicides among 18,154 subjects with schizophrenia included in a large simple trial. J Clin Psychiatry. 2014 Mar;75(3):e184-90. doi: 10.4088/JCP.13m08563.
• Kolitsopoulos FM, Strom BL, Faich G, Eng SM, Kane JM, Reynolds RF. Lessons learned in the conduct of a global, large simple trial of treatments indicated for schizophrenia. Contemp Clin Trials. 2013 Mar;34(2):239-47. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2012.12.001. Epub 2012 Dec 12.
• Strom BL, Eng SM, Faich G, Reynolds RF, D'Agostino RB, Ruskin J, Kane JM. Comparative mortality associated with ziprasidone and olanzapine in real-world use among 18,154 patients with schizophrenia: The Ziprasidone Observational Study of Cardiac Outcomes (ZODIAC). Am J Psychiatry. 2011 Feb;168(2):193-201. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2010.08040484. Epub 2010 Nov 1.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients newly treated for schizophrenia and those receiving continuing treatment will be eligible if the treating psychiatrist is ready to initiate a new antipsychotic medication, and would consider using either ziprasidone or olanzapine as an appropriate therapy.
• Male and female patients who meet all criteria listed below are eligible to be enrolled in this study:
• Diagnosed with schizophrenia
• Willing to provide information on at least one alternate contact person for study staff to contact regarding patient's whereabouts, should the patient be lost-to-follow-up over the course of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Progressive fatal disease of a life expectancy which prohibits them from participating in a one year research study
• Previously randomized to study medication and enrolled in this study