Haldol

Serenace (Dainippon) Haldol (Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical)... 

Haldol for agitation, lorazepam for anxiety, temazepam or zolpidem for insomnia. 

Whatever the underlying causes may be, neuroleptic medications are the most effective treatment for schizophrenia. All antipsychotic medications have some form of dopamine receptor antagonism and they are distinguished by their chemical class. The phenothiazines include chlorpromazine (Thorazine), thioridazine (Mellaril), mesoridazine (Serentil), trifluoperazine (Stelazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), and prochlorperazine (Compazine). The thioxanthenes include chlorprohixine (Taractan) and thiothixene (Navane). Butyrophenones are represented by haloperidol (Haldol). Loxapine (Loxitane) is a dibenzoxapine, and molindone (Moban) is a dihydroindolone. 

The doctor (me in this instance) was less than confident about his ability to help the distracted patient. A walk-in closet contained row after row of medications, provided pro bono by various drug houses. But which one to prescribe Thorazine was a favorite choice for difficult to manage patients, but as 1 knew from our Edgewood studies of Thorazine and butyrophenones such as Haldol that the result would probably be what was sometimes described by patients as Thorazine on the outside and LSD on the inside - not exactly what psychedelic tripping was supposed to feel like. 

In the 1960s, potent major tranquilizers such as haloperidol (Haldol) and fluphenazine (Prolixin) were new on the psychiatric scene. Many of these synthetic butyrophenones were sufficiently potent to warrant at least preliminary testing in our program. Fluphenazine and 302034 (haloperidol) both impaired NF performance... 

Side effects can also occur quickly after a single dose of a medication. For example, some antidepressants (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can cause nausea, stomach upset, loose stools, and even diarrhea. Likewise, some anti-psychotics (e.g., haloperidol (Haldol)) can cause unpleasant or painful muscle spasms called dystonias. All of these side effects can occur within minutes or hours of taking a single dose of the medication. These side effects are also a result of the direct effects of the medication in the synapse. 

There is another reason why medications exert multiple effects. For example, an antidepressant that very specifically promotes serotonin neurotransmission and has little or no interaction with other receptor types will still produce multiple effects. How can this be Remember that in different areas of the brain, a single neurotransmitter can assume very distinct roles. When an individual takes a medication that alters the activity of a particular neurotransmitter, it generally does so throughout the brain. Consequently, the dopamine receptor blocking effect of haloperidol (Haldol) reduces hallucinations and paranoia in one brain region but causes upper extremity stiffness through its action in another brain region. 

It may be fair to ask, Is this much ado about nothing Although test tube studies have shown that particular drugs interact, it is seldom that this causes problems for patients taking the medications. For example, the antidepressant fluvoxamine inhibits the enzyme that deactivates the antipsychotic haloperidol (Haldol). Does this mean that fluvoxamine and haloperidol cannot be taken together By no means. Although this would probably raise the blood level of haloperidol somewhat, the main effect if any would be that a smaller dose of haloperidol would be more effective. 

Haloperidol (Haldol). There are a handful of medications that for various reasons have had a significant cultural impact that is, they are popular among patients and... 

Antipsychotics. It was recognized some years ago that high potency typical anti-psychotics, that is, haloperidol (Haldol) and pimozide (Orap), were effective in treating OCD patients who had a comorbid tic disorder. The efficacy of these agents, however, is primarily in redncing the tics rather than the core symptoms of OCD. 

Typical Antipsychotics. The high potency antipsychotic haloperidol (Haldol) and low potency antipsychotics chlorpromazine (Thorazine) and thioridazine (Mellaril) have also been used to treat ADHD. Although they provide a tranquilizing effect (they are in fact sometimes called major tranquilizers ) that can reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity, antipsychotics remain markedly less effective than stimulants. Antipsychotics do not noticeably improve attention in patients with ADHD, and at this time the typical antipsychotics cannot be considered a reasonable monotherapy in uncomplicated ADHD. 

The high potency antipsychotic haloperidol (Haldol) provides the same calming effects with minimal anticholinergic effects. Although haloperidol is very effective, dementia patients are quite sensitive to its extrapyramidal effects. These include stiffness, shuffling gait, a mask-like facial appearance, and involuntary movements. To minimize these effects, haloperidol is used in very low doses (0.5-1.0mg) when treating those with dementia. 

The medication of choice was for many years haloperidol (Haldol), a high potency antipsychotic, that can be given orally or by injection. When used, haloperidol should be administered in low doses (0.5-1.0mg) and only on an as-needed basis. Due to concerns regarding the tolerability of haloperidol in patients with dementia, its role in the management of agitation associated with delirium has largely been supplanted by atypical antipsychotics. A number of atypical antipsy-chotics are available by either an oral or intramuscular (injection) route of administiation. 

Let s examine a sample case study. A patient who has been taking haloperidol (Haldol) lOmg a day for several years may well have developed tardive dyskinesia. What would happen if the dose were increased to 20 mg a day When we see the... 

Haloperidol decanoate (Haldol Decanoate) Antipsychotic Inj 50,100 mg/mL 25-100 mg IM q4 weel long acting. Reduce dose in elderly extrapyramidal symptoms, alpha-blocking effects, high doses may prolong QT interval. 

---