Dissimilar dosing with high-potency and low-potency neuroleptics

Abstract

High-potency vs. low-potency neuroleptic dosing practices for 110 psychiatric inpatients were studied and the findings were compared with the dosing practices reported in surveys of nearly 16,000 Veterans Administration patients. Mean chlorpromazine equivalent doses for the most common agents correlated strongly in both samples. Although frequencies of lower doses of both types of agents were similar, doses of potent drugs above the daily equivalent of 1 g of chlorpromazine accounted for > 40% of prescriptions. The mean chlorpromazine-equivalent dose of popular potent agents (haloperidol or fluphenazone) was 3.54 times as high as that of popular flow-potency agents (chlorpromazine or thioridazine). Potent agents are commonly used in mania and schizophrenia, often in relatively high doses, which may carry an excess of risk over unproven added benefit.