title: Haloperidol blood levels and clinical effects.
abstract: This study explored the relationships between plasma levels and the clinical effects of haloperidol in 176 acutely exacerbated schizophrenic or schizoaffective patients. After a single-blind placebo period of 1 week (period 1), they entered the double-blind period 2 randomly assigned to one of three plasma levels of haloperidol: low (2 to 13 ng/mL), medium (13.1 to 24 ng/mL), or high (24.1 to 35 ng/mL). Patients whose conditions did not improve in period 2 continued on one of the three haloperidol levels (period 3). Periods 2 and 3 lasted 6 weeks each. Only minor differences in clinical responses were noted among the three levels of haloperidol. These results imply that low or moderate doses of neuroleptics are appropriate for many acutely psychotic patients.
authors.affiliation: Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Volavka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Czobor
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bitter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meisner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laska
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gastanaga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krakowski
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crowner
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010919:Placebos; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D016037:Single-Blind Method
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D006220:Haloperidol