Indications: maintenance in schizophrenia and related psychoses.

Cautions: with the high doses, periodic blood counts are needed. Another antipsychotic drug should be used if agitation or aggression appears; porphyria. hepatic & renal impairment, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy.

Contra-indications: severely depressed states; marked cerebral atherosclerosis.

Side Effects: extra pyramidal symptoms consisting of parkinsonian symptoms, dystonia, dyskinesia, restlessness, tardive dyskinesia; systemic lupus erythematosus, inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, oedema.

Dose: deep IM injection into the gluteal muscle, test dose 12.5 mg (6.25 mg in elderly), then after 4-7 days 12.5- 100 mg repeated at intervals of 14-35 days, adjusted according to the response.