A COMPARISON OF TWO PHENOTHIAZINES IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENICS
M. DIERKS M.D.
Consecutive evaluations of trifluoperazine and thioridazine were performed in 109 hospitalized schizophrenics. The same degree of tranquilizing effect was obtained with both drugs in 104 patients. Extrapyramidal symptoms were induced by thioridazine in 1 patient and by trifluoperazine in 79 patients and were controlled by the addition of benztropine.
This study has demonstrated that thioridazine is an affective agent relatively free of extrapyramidal symptoms and that the latter are not required for a drug to be an efficient tranquilizer. In addition, treatment with thioridazine alone required fewer tablets per day and resulted in greater economy as well as increased assurance of drug intake and patient cooperation.
