Antipsychotic effects of verapamil in schizophrenia.

The antipsychotic effects of verapamil were tested in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study in 18 patients who met Research Diagnostic Criteria for acute schizophrenia. The antipsychotic effect of verapamil as measured by the Bunney-Hamburg Global Rating Scale were equal to those of haloperidol. Both verapamil and haloperidol were superior to placebo in decreasing psychotic symptoms. The results indicate that verapamil may have clinical utility in the treatment of schizophrenia.