Dose-response relationships of perphenazine in the treatment of acute psychoses

✍ Scribed by Lars Bolvig Hansen; Niels-Erik Larsen; Niels Gulmann

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 421 KB
• Volume: 78
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0033-3158
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00432245

✦ Synopsis

A group of 26 acute psychotic patients received continuous oral treatment with perphenazine for a period of 5weeks. Once-weekly blood samples were drawn for measurements of perphenazine levels and, simultaneously, the therapeutic outcome was registered. Another 26 acute psychotic patients received continuous oral treatment with perphenazine for a period of up to 4weeks. A single blood sample was drawn and the perphenazine concentration was related to the appearance of extrapyramidal side effects. The following conclusions were made: (1) a high risk of provoking extrapyramidal side effects was associated with plasma levels of perphenazine above 3 nmol/l; (2) plasma levels below 2 nmol/1 were associated with a poor therapeutic outcome; (3) a 'therapeutic window' between 2 and 3 nmol/1 gives maximal therapeutic effect with a low risk of provoking extrapyramidal side effects.