Penfluridol in the treatment of newly admitted schizophrenic patients in a brief therapy unit.

The authors compared penfluridol, a long-acting neuroleptic that can be administered orally once a week, with chlorpromazine in the treatment of 33 newly admitted schizophrenic patients in a brief therapy unit. Patients receiving either drug improved enough to be discharged in 3 weeks. Penfluridol-treated patients experienced less drowsiness than those treated with chlorpromazine, but the severity of extrapyramidal symptoms appeared to be greater with penfluridol.