d_raza1
Forum Senior
Topics: 32
Posts: 92
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How much is the expected time for initial clinical response to antipsychotics (e.g., a therapeutic trial)?
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| merrk
Forum Elite
Topics: 27
Posts: 280
| | 09/03/05 - 02:40 PM
2 of 2 forum leaders found this post helpful
| #2 |
antipsychotics have two effects
1) calming down or sedating effect; this takes 1-2 days to act
2) anti-psychotic effect; this usually takes a few weeks to occur
Initially there was the concept of neuroleptization eg giving repeated doses of antipsychotic till the patient calmed down. ie repeated injections of 5mg of haloperidol. However it was found that 5 +- 2 mg is all that is needed to occupy 80% of the receptors (eg serotonin). The rest lead to undesirable side effects. So now the practice is to give one shot, and sedate the patient wiht a benzodiazepine, a much safer drug.
since anti-psychotics take several weeks to act (4-6) wait before changing the drug. first increase the dose.
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