Haloperidol (US brand name Haldol® and generic) is a first-generation (“typical”) antipsychotic. Here is basic information about this medication.
Oral Haloperidol (Tablets, Oral concentrate)
FDA-approved indications
1. Management of manifestations of psychotic disorders
2. Control of tics and vocal utterances of Tourette’s Disorder in children and adults
3. Treatment of severe behavior problems in children of combative, explosive hyperexcitability (which cannot be accounted for by immediate provocation)
4. Short-term treatment of hyperactive children who show excessive motor activity with accompanying conduct disorders consisting of some or all of the following symptoms: impulsivity, difficulty sustaining attention, aggressivity, mood lability, and poor frustration tolerance.
Haloperidol tablets should be reserved for these two groups of children only after failure to respond to psychotherapy or medications other than antipsychotics.
Dosage
A. Initial dosage range
1. Adults
Moderate symptoms: 0.5–2 mg, two or three times daily
Severe symptoms: 3–5 mg, two or three times daily
Adjust upwards, if necessary depending on patient response
2. Geriatric patients
0.5–2 mg, two or three times daily
3. Chronic or resistant patients
3–5 mg, two or three times daily
Adjust upwards if necessary. Up to 100 mg/day may be administered to achieve optimal therapeutic response.
4. Children (ages 3-12)
Initial: 0.5 mg per day
Titrate: 0.5 mg increments every 5 to 7 days until the desired therapeutic response
Maximum: 6 mg/day
Psychotic Disorders: 0.05–0.15 mg/kg/day. Severely psychotic children may need higher dosages.
Nonpsychotic Behavior Disorders and Tourette’s Disorder: 0.05–0.075 mg/kg/day
B. Maintenance dose
Upon achieving a satisfactory therapeutic response, dosage should then be gradually reduced to the lowest effective maintenance level.
Dosage forms and strengths
Scored tablet (generic): 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg
Oral concentrate (generic): 2 mg/mL
Please refer to Prescribing Information (see link below) for complete discussion of dosage, administration, warnings and precautions, contraindications, etc.
Haloperidol Injection (for immediate-release)
Indications
1. Treatment of schizophrenia
2. Control of tics and vocal utterances of Tourette’s Disorder
Dosage
Initial dosage needs to be individualized on the basis of age, severity of illness, previous response to antipsychotic drugs, and concomitant medications and illness.
Usual: 2–5 mg IM in acutely agitated schizophrenic patient
Depending on patient response, may be repeated every hour, although 4-8 hours intervals may be satisfactory.
May switchover to oral form as soon as it becomes practical. Oral dosage may be estimated by calculating the injectable dose administered to the patient in the previous 24 hours.
Dosage forms and strengths
Immediate-release injection (Haldol® and generic): 5 mg/mL
Please refer to Prescribing Information (see link below) for complete discussion of dosage, administration, warnings and precautions, contraindications, etc.
Related Pages
Long-acting injectable haloperidol (Haldol® Decanoate): Basic Information (Free)
Antipsychotics and QTc prolongation
Antibiotics, antipsychotics, and QTc prolongation
Second-Generation (“Atypical”) Antipsychotics (Free)
Antipsychotics: Index and Links
References
Haloperidol Tablets Prescribing Information
Haloperidol Oral Concentrate Prescribing Information
Haloperidol immediate-release injection (Haldol®) Prescribing Information
Copyright 2016, Rajnish Mago, MD. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without express written permission.
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