Haloperidol blood levels during dosage reduction in chronic schizophrenic patients.
Haloperidol levels were measured by radioreceptor assay in 12 schizophrenic patients during gradual dosage reduction (at 10-day) intervals) from 60 to 0 mg/day. Serum levels were highly correlated with the oral dose in each patient, but poorly correlated across patients. Clinical deterioration appeared only 10-20 days after total cessation of the oral drug, and so it was not possible to determine an optimal blood level for chronic maintenance. Below oral dosage of 10 mg/day of haloperidol many patients' blood levels are undetectable by the radioreceptor method.
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
D006220:Haloperidol