Now take a deep breath: inhaled loxapine for the treatment of acute agitation.
Acute agitation in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder is an important clinical management problem. Liquid concentrates, orally disintegrating tablets, and/or intramuscular formulations of several second-generation atypical antipsychotic drugs are available for treating acute agitation. Loxapine is an older first-generation antipsychotic drug that is approved for the treatment of schizophrenia. Staccato(®) loxapine is an investigational device system using a loxapine-coated heat source to administer loxapine by inhalation. Three multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled efficacy and safety studies of Staccato loxapine have been conducted in patients with acute agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. These studies found that inhaled loxapine was rapidly effective and generally well tolerated, although there are potential concerns about adverse pulmonary effects.
University of Pittsburgh School Medicine, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. HowlandRH@upmc.edu
Robert H
RH
Howland
D000208:Acute Disease; D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000336:Aerosols; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008152:Loxapine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing*
D000336:Aerosols; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D008152:Loxapine