Open study with bromperidol (C-C 2489), a new neuroleptic, for the determination of the neuroleptic threshold and the neuroleptic-therapeutic range.

In an open study involving 30 schizophrenic patients the neuroleptic threshold dose (measured via Haase's graphopathological test), the maximum dose, and the maintenance dose were determined. The neuroleptic threshold dose was 5.6 mg/day (0.08 mg/kg body weight); the maximum dose was 11 mg/day (0.16 mg/kg body weight); and the maintenance dose was 6 mg/day (0.09 mg/kg body weight). With reference to the effectiveness, good to very good results were obtained in 19 cases. Regarding side effects 15 patients complained of extrapyramidal disturbances, this was to be expected in view of the study design aiming at the determination of the maximum dose level. When administered in one single dose in the evening, bromperidol influenced the night sleep positively, so that sleep-inducing drugs could be reduced, and, in some cases, even dispensed with.