Newton J E, Cannon D J, Couch L, Fody E P, McMillan D E, Metzer W S, Paige S R, Reid G M, Summers B N
Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
J Clin Psychiatry. 1989 Apr;50(4):132-5.
In a crossover experiment the authors investigated the effects of repeated weekly, 2-day, haloperidol drug holidays on serum haloperidol concentrations, mental status, and neuroleptic-induced movement disorders in seven chronic schizophrenic patients. Haloperidol concentrations decreased about 64% during the initial 36 hours of drug holiday and subsequently increased slightly during the next 24 hours of drug holiday. Two-day weekly drug holidays for 6 weeks resulted in an average reduction of 25% in serum haloperidol concentrations at all drug holiday points. Mental status and movement disorders scores, rated by observers blind to the drug-holiday condition, were not significantly affected by drug holidays.
