The long-term maintenance treatment of schizophrenic out-patients with depot flupenthixol

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Abstract
SummaryAfter initial stabilisation, flupenthixol decanoate injections were given to 134 outpatient schizophrenics over a period of 28 months. Thirty percent showed extrapyramidal side-effects and 8% severe depression. Persistent anergia and hypomania were also seen. There was a significant reduction in adapted Wing's scale scores over 6 months in the first 56 patients. Severe and unpredictable extra-pyramidal side-effects were less frequent than with fluphenazine, the relapse rate among aggressive paranoid schizophrenics tending to be higher with flupenthixol. Flupenthixol-treated patients seemed more active, sociable and able to communicate than phenothiazine-treated patients, which helped in their rehabilitation. No toxic effects were seen. Flupenthixol is considered to be an effective anti-psychotic and suitable for out-patient stabilisation and maintenance therapy.