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Plasma haloperidol and reduced haloperidol concentrations in a geriatric population
W H Chang1, M W Jann, T S Chiang
1Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taiwan.
Neuropsychobiology
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Elderly patients show significantly higher haloperidol (HL) plasma concentrations than schizophrenic patients at similar doses. Reduced haloperidol (RH) levels were also markedly elevated in the geriatric group, indicating altered drug metabolism in the elderly.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacokinetics and Geriatric Pharmacology
Background:
- Haloperidol (HL) is a widely used antipsychotic medication.
- Age-related changes can influence drug metabolism and plasma concentrations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare plasma concentrations of haloperidol (HL) and reduced haloperidol (RH) in geriatric and schizophrenic patients.
- To investigate potential differences in HL and RH pharmacokinetics between these populations.
Main Methods:
- Plasma concentrations of HL and RH were measured in 45 geriatric patients and 8 schizophrenic patients.
- Patients received comparable doses of HL (1-4 mg/day for elderly, 2 mg/day for schizophrenic patients).
Main Results:
- At a 2 mg/day HL dose, elderly patients exhibited approximately double the mean plasma HL levels compared to schizophrenic patients (1.39 vs. 0.56 ng/ml, p < 0.02).
- Elderly patients showed nearly five times greater RH plasma concentrations than schizophrenic patients (0.54 vs. 0.09 ng/ml, p < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
- Geriatric patients demonstrate significantly higher plasma concentrations of both haloperidol (HL) and reduced haloperidol (RH) compared to adult schizophrenic patients on similar HL doses.
- These findings suggest altered HL metabolism or distribution in the elderly, potentially impacting dosing strategies.