Antiparkinsonian agents and fluphenazine decanoate

The author examined the incidence and severity of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) in 19 male psychotic outpatients receiving fluphenazine decanoate. Ten patients developed an EPS; only 3 had symptoms of the highest severity. The data suggest that neither prophylactic nor long-term use of antiparkinsonian agents is necessary for most patients receiving fluphenazine decanoate. On the basis of a comparison to a study of fluphenazine enanthate patients, the author concludes that fluphenazine decanoate is the drug of choice in terms of incidence and severity of EPS.