Zuclopenthixol acetate in Viscoleo--a new drug formulation. An open Nordic multicentre study of zuclopenthixol acetate in Viscoleo in patients with acute psychoses including mania and exacerbation of chronic psychoses

Abstract

Eighty-three acutely disturbed, psychotic patients were included in an open multicentre study. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical effect of zuclopenthixol acetate in Viscoleo (CPT-A). Each patient received from one to four intramuscular injections of CPT-A during the 6-day study period. The duration of action after one injection was between 2 and 3 days and doses from 50 mg to 150 mg were sufficient for most patients. Treatment with CPT-A caused a pronounced and rapid reduction of the psychotic symptoms. At the end of the 6-day test period the mean total score on BPRS in acute non-manic and exacerbated chronic patients was reduced by more than 50 per cent. In acute manic patients the mean total score on BRMS was reduced by 57 per cent already 1 day after injection. Rapidly after the injection of CPT-A a useful short-acting sedation can be expected, but the risk for oversedation even after a second injection is low. The frequency of unwanted effects, including extrapyramidal reactions, was low and the severity of symptoms was most often mild. With a rapid onset of action, a duration of effect of 2 to 3 days, and few and mild side effects, CPT-A offers advantages over the neuroleptic preparations conventionally used in the initial treatment of acutely disturbed, psychotic patients.