Am J Psychiatry 1982; 139:1466-1468
Copyright © 1982 by American Psychiatric Association
Intensive treatment with haloperidol of treatment-resistant chronic schizophrenic patients
LE Hollister and DY Kim
The authors treated 11 treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients with
steadily increasing doses of haloperidol to determine the therapeutic range
of plasma concentrations in such patients. Six patients responded, usually
within a few weeks of treatment and at doses of 50 mg/day or less; plasma
concentrations ranged between 17 and 42 ng/ml. Five patients were
unresponsive, despite treatment for 13-22 weeks, doses of haloperidol of
180-270 mg/day, and plasma concentrations of 51- 225 ng/ml. Doses greater
than 150 mg/day appear unnecessary, because lesser doses generally provide
plasma concentrations of 20-50 ng/ml. Failure to respond within 2 months of
reaching such doses or plasma concentrations augurs for continued lack of
response.
