[Pharmacokinetics of neuroleptics]

Clinical pharmacokinetics of antipsychotics has been handicapped by the necessity of accurately measuring nanomolar or even subnanomolar concentrations of the drug and its active metabolites in plasma. The knowledge of fundamental pharmacokinetic properties of antipsychotic drugs has been possible with the discovery of analytical methods measuring plasma concentrations such as Radio-Receptor Assay (R.R.A.), or specific assay methods: Gas Liquid Chromatography (G.L.C.), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (H.P.L.C.) or Radioimmuno-assay. Pharmacokinetic factors of commonly used antipsychotic drugs and Depot Antipsychotics are presented. The clinical utility of plasma monitoring of antipsychotic drugs is discussed: can monitoring help to obtain an optimal therapeutic response and reduce the incidence of side effects and tardive dyskinesia?