Akathisia with haloperidol and thiothixene.
We studied the incidence of akathisia in two populations of newly admitted schizophrenic patients: one group was treated with haloperidol and the other group was treated with thiothixene hydrochloride. Within six hours after taking a 5-mg test dose of haloperidol, 40% of the patients experienced akathisia; during maintenance treatment with 10 mg of haloperidol taken at bedtime, 75% of the patients experienced akathisia by the seventh day. With thiothixene hydrochloride (0.22-mg/kg test dose; 0.44-mg/kg maintenance dose), the respective percentages were 20% and 46%. The akathisia experienced after administration of the test of haloperidol dose was not mild or inconsequential; 28% of the patients experienced moderate, 17% of the patients experienced severe, and 22% of the patients experienced very severe akathisia. Akathisia with haloperidol could not be suppressed completely in half of the patients. Treatment-resistant akathisia was experienced as anxiety and depression. We believe these tallies to be important because akathisia causes much misery and often goes undiagnosed.
D000328:Adult; D017109:Akathisia, Drug-Induced; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy; D013888:Thiothixene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D013888:Thiothixene; D006220:Haloperidol