Chlorpromazine in the Treatment of the Chronic Disturbed Schizophrenic Patient

Abstract

The pharmacology of chlorpromazine (Anton-Stephens, 1954; Hopkin, 1955) and its use in psychiatric practice (Garmany et al., 1954; Elkes et al., 1954; Charatan, 1954; Labhardt, 1954) have been described in several recent papers. The present paper briefly describes a controlled experiment on the use of the drug in a group of chronic disturbed schizophrenic patients, the object being to introduce as few variables as possible into the experimental situation, with a view to making the results as objective as is ever possible in a psychiatric investigation.

A Review of the Effects of Chlorpromazine and Reserpine in Patients with Mental Disorders.

“…As yet, there have been few controlled studies designed to relate dosage to extent of improvement. Difficulties have been reported by those using the double-blind method to test the effectiveness of high dosages of chlorpromazine and reserpine; the effects of these agents have been so distinct that the identity of the drug-treated group has been obvious to the independent raters (85). Unfortunately, it has been rare for investigators to use active placebos (i.e., other drugs) with side effects which are similar to those of chlorpromazine or reserpine.…”

A Double-Blind Controlled Comparison of the Effects of Chlorpromazine, Barbiturate and a Placebo in 142 Chronic Psychotic In-Patients

“…reports have been published in the world literature on the use of chlorpromazine in chronic psychotic in-patients. The majority of these studies indicate that the drug is indeed effective in improving the behaviour of these patients ; a small minority of authors is more sceptical including Mitchell (1956) using doses up to 300 mg. daily, Sarwer-Foner and Ogle (1956) with doses of 150-400 mg. daily, and Trelles and Saavedra (1954) using sleep treatment. The literature contains numerous reports of controlled and uncontrolled studies on chlorpromazine and comparisons of its effects with those of a placebo, Reserpine, Azacyclonal, etc.…”

“…(1956) The results in these small groups do not differ significantly and it is only by comparing the effect, not with the initial state, but with the state before each new drug was given, that a significant effect couldbe obtained. Mitchell (1956) in a carefully planned double-blind controlled experiment on sixty disturbed schizophrenic patients (mostly paranoid) used dosages of 150mg. of chiorpromazine daily, repeating the experiment with double this dose.…”

Chlorpromazine Used with an Intensive Occupational Therapy Program

“…7 At the same time, partly arising from the evidence of numerous drug trials, there has been a renewed awareness that chronic mental hospital patients benefit from environmental changes, especially where increased activity and enhanced social interaction between patients and staff result.1,6,9 Robin11 concluded that occupational therapy had a quieting effect on aggressive patients, superior to that pn> duced by tranquilizing agents, and sug¬ gested that there might be "a current tendency to think in terms of the physical or pharmacological treatments in the han¬ dling of psychotic patients and to overlook the value oí more conservative measures." Submitted for publication Nov.…”