Side effects during long-term treatment with depot antipsychotic medication.

During long-term treatment of schizophrenia with antipsychotic medication, side effects such as weight gain and tardive dyskinesia may develop, while other extrapyramidal side effects may continue. A large multicenter, double-blind, comparative trial of haloperidol decanoate and fluphenazine decanoate has been completed, in which 181 patients took part. The study lasted for 1 year and patients were assessed using the Krawiecka scale, the Montgomery-Asberg scales for schizophrenia and depression, the Simpson-Angus scale for parkinsonism, the AIMS for tardive dyskinesia, and a scale for akathisia. Patients were also weighed at each assessment. The results provide further evidence about the occurrence of weight changes, extrapyramidal side effects, and depression during long-term treatment and about the relative benefits of the two treatments.