ETHOPROPAZINE AND BENZTROPINE IN NEUROLEPTIC-INDUCED PARKINSONISM

Abstract

In a 12 wk controlled study ethopropazine was compared to benztropine in the treatment of parkinsonism induced by fluphenazine enanthate in 60 schizophrenic outpatients. Ethopropazine and benztropine where equally effective in controlling parkinsonian symptoms and were as efficacious as procyclidine, their previous antiparkinsonian drug. Benztropine treated patients had a significant increase in tardive dyskinesia compared to their condition during procyclidine treatment, and significantly more anxiety and depression than ethopropazine treated patients. This suggests that benztropine is not the anticholinergic drug of choice in the treatment of neuroleptic-induced parkinsonian symptoms, because of its more toxic central and peripheral atropinic effect.