Psychoactive drugs in mania. A controlled comparison of lithium carbonate, chlorpromazine, and haloperidol.

Abstract

Lithium carbonate, haloperidol, and chlorpromazine hydrochloride were compared in a double-blind controlled study with severely ill hospitalized manics. Lithium carbonate and haloperidol produced a highly significant improvement of manic symptoms without sedation. Although producing considerable sedation, chlorpromazine did little to alter the underlying mania qualitatively. Qualitative differences between lithium carbonate and haloperidol indicate that, while haloperidol has a more dramatically rapid impact on behavior-motor activity, lithium carbonate acted more evenly on the entire manic picture, with total normalization realized during active treatment. The majority of lithium carbonate-treated patients met discharge criteria at study termination, but not the patients receiving either neuroleptic drug. The rating scales are not sensitive enough to monitor manic psychopathology; this accounts for the lack of statistically significant differences among drug groups at treatment termination, despite the widely disparate discharge rates.

• Authors: B Shopsin, S Gershon, H Thompson, P Collins
• Journal: Archives of general psychiatry (Arch Gen Psychiatry) Vol. 32 Issue 1 Pg. 34-42 (Jan 1975) ISSN: 0003-990X [Print] United States
• PMID: 1089401 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Placebos
• Lithium
• Haloperidol
• Chlorpromazine

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Bipolar Disorder (drug therapy)
• Chlorpromazine (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Female
• Haloperidol (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Lithium (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Placebos
• Psychiatric Status Rating Scales