Chlorpromazine equivalent doses for the newer atypical antipsychotics.
BACKGROUND
Several clinical and research applications require an estimation of therapeutic dose equivalence across antipsychotic medications. Since the advent of the newer atypical antipsychotics, new dose equivalent estimations have been needed.


METHODS
The reported minimum effective dose was identified for each newer atypical antipsychotic medication and for haloperidol across all available fixed-dose placebo-controlled studies. Reported minimum effective dose equivalence ratios to haloperidol were then converted to chlorpromazine equivalents using the "2 mg of haloperidol equals 100 mg of chlorpromazine" convention.


METHODS
To identify the fixed-dose studies, the following sources were searched until June 2002: MEDLINE, the bibliographies of identified reports, published meta-analyses and reviews, Cochrane reviews, Freedom of Information Act material available from the Food and Drug Administration, and abstracts from several scientific meetings from 1997 to 2002.


RESULTS
Doses equivalent to 100 mg/day of chlorpromazine were 2 mg/day for risperidone, 5 mg/day for olanzapine, 75 mg/day for quetiapine, 60 mg/day for ziprasidone, and 7.5 mg/day for aripiprazole.


CONCLUSIONS
These equivalency estimates may be useful for clinical and research purposes. The source of the dose equivalency estimation is evidence-based and consistent across medication.
Woods
Scott W
SW
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven , CT 06519, USA. scott.woods@yale.edu
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D002746:Chlorpromazine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010879:Piperazines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D015363:Quinolones / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018967:Risperidone / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy; D013810:Therapeutic Equivalency; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D013844:Thiazoles; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D010890:Pirenzepine; C092292:ziprasidone; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D006220:Haloperidol; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine; D002746:Chlorpromazine