Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:1076-1078
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
Rapid treatment of acute psychosis
WH Anderson, JC Kuehnle and DM Catanzano
Twenty-four patients with acute functional psychoses were treated with
intramuscular haloperidol in a three-hour period. There was almost complete
remission of cardinal symptoms (thought disorder, hallucinations, and
delusional activity) in this period for 11 patients. Acute dystonia, easily
reversed, was the only significant side effect. The authors therefore
suggest that outpatient management may be feasible and preferable in the
treatment of some acute psychotic episodes.
