J. Gerlach, O. Nyeborg, R. Prieto
May 1, 1973
Citations
0
Influential Citations
2
Citations
Journal
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
Abstract
The advantages of parenteral administration of depot neuroleptics have been clearly documented in recent years. Both for patient and doctor this form of administration is an important pharmacotherapeutic advance, which has led to reliable and simplified medication (for details and references see the Symposium on Long-acting Phenothiazines in Psychiatry, edited by Cole ( 1970) ) and the pharmacokinetic advantage of avoiding variations in intestinal absorption (Lewis et al. (1971)) and early metabolism in the liver. These advantages have had the effect in practice of considerably reducing the number of relapses and readmissions of schizophrenic patients (Gottfries (1971)), while psychiatric hospitals have had more opportunity to focus attention on social and milieu therapy, which is of great importance in the patients’ response to neuroleptic treatment (Klerman et al. (1970) ) . On this basis we have found it of interest to take part in a co-ordinated inter-Nordic clinical study of a new depot neuroleptic, pipotiazine palmitate (19.552 R.P.). Our aim was to investigate the usefulness of the preparation in the ward for long-term schizophrenic patients in a so-called open study. According to existing clinical trials and pharmacological studies in animals, pipotiazine is a potent neuroleptic with little sedative effect. Chemically, it is a phenothiazine derivative, structurally related to fluphenazine and thioproperazine. In 19.552 R.P. pipotiazine is esterified with palmitic acid and emulsified in sesame oil, which gives a duration of action of about 4 weeks. The side-effects of the neuroleptic are well known; extrapyramidal symptoms in the form of dystonic reactions, parkinsonism and tardive dyskinesia, as well as mild sedation and autonomic disturbances.