Biomaterial Database

Low-dose treatment strategies. 1986

T Van Putten, and S R Marder

Dose-comparison studies in chronic, continuously hospitalized patients show that megadoses of antipsychotic drugs are reasonably well tolerated. These findings, together with dose-comparison studies in acute patients, support the notion (and current practice) that the therapeutic index of antipsychotic drugs is wide. Recent work with outpatients indicates that fluphenazine decanoate 5 mg (versus 25 mg) every 2 weeks is effective for at least the first year. In addition, patients report feeling better when they take the lower dose. A dose-comparison study with haloperidol in newly admitted patients indicates that a 20 mg daily dose has neurotoxic effects. A similar dose-comparison study with oral fluphenazine indicates that a 5 mg daily dose is efficacious over a 3-week period. Thus, both inpatients and outpatients can be managed on doses that were formerly regarded as homeopathic. Patients taking low doses have fewer side effects (particularly less akinesia) and probably fewer dysphoric emotions than patients taking high doses, although they improve at a slower rate.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011618	Psychotic Disorders	Disorders in which there is a loss of ego boundaries or a gross impairment in reality testing with delusions or prominent hallucinations. (From DSM-IV, 1994)	Psychoses,Psychosis, Brief Reactive,Schizoaffective Disorder,Schizophreniform Disorders,Psychosis,Brief Reactive Psychoses,Brief Reactive Psychosis,Disorder, Psychotic,Disorder, Schizoaffective,Disorder, Schizophreniform,Disorders, Psychotic,Disorders, Schizoaffective,Disorders, Schizophreniform,Psychoses, Brief Reactive,Psychotic Disorder,Reactive Psychoses, Brief,Reactive Psychosis, Brief,Schizoaffective Disorders,Schizophreniform Disorder
D002986	Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries.	Clinical Trial as Topic
D004305	Dose-Response Relationship, Drug	The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug.	Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D004334	Drug Administration Schedule	Time schedule for administration of a drug in order to achieve optimum effectiveness and convenience.	Administration Schedule, Drug,Administration Schedules, Drug,Drug Administration Schedules,Schedule, Drug Administration,Schedules, Drug Administration
D005476	Fluphenazine	A phenothiazine used in the treatment of PSYCHOSES. Its properties and uses are generally similar to those of CHLORPROMAZINE.	Flufenazin,Fluphenazine Hydrochloride,Lyogen,Prolixin,Hydrochloride, Fluphenazine
D006220	Haloperidol	A phenyl-piperidinyl-butyrophenone that is used primarily to treat SCHIZOPHRENIA and other PSYCHOSES. It is also used in schizoaffective disorder, DELUSIONAL DISORDERS, ballism, and TOURETTE SYNDROME (a drug of choice) and occasionally as adjunctive therapy in INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY and the chorea of HUNTINGTON DISEASE. It is a potent antiemetic and is used in the treatment of intractable HICCUPS. (From AMA Drug Evaluations Annual, 1994, p279)	Haldol
D006760	Hospitalization	The confinement of a patient in a hospital.	Hospitalizations
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults