Duration of neuroleptic treatment and relapse rate: a 5-year follow-up study with haloperidol decanoate

The role of neuroleptic drugs in controlling acute psychotic symptoms and reducing relapse is well established. It is the clinical management of chronically disabled patients that has major implications for health care planning. Drug discontinuation studies have indicated that patients with chronic schizophrenia should receive maintenance drug therapy for some years. This was a 5-year follow-up study to assess the long-term effects of depot haloperidol decanoate vs. other neuroleptics in 62 psychotic patients treated in the community. The study indicates that there were more relapses and hospitalization for patients maintained on other neuroleptics than for patients maintained on haloperidol decanoate. The study indicates that haloperidol decanoate even in low dosage is effective maintenance therapy is preventing relapse. Indeed, some of the good responders to haloperidol therapy may have benefitted from lowering the dosage of the drug. It is our experience that haloperidol decanoate is of good value in the management of psychotic illnesses that require long-term treatment. A more controlled longer-term study is needed to confirm our results.