Haloperidol decanoate, sold under the brand name Haldol Decanoate among others, is a typical antipsychotic which is used in the treatment of

schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...

. It is administered by

injection into muscle Intramuscular injection, often abbreviated IM, is the injection of a substance into a muscle. In medicine, it is one of several methods for parenteral administration of medications. Intramuscular injection may be preferred because muscles have l ...

at a dose of 100 to 200 mg once every 4 weeks or monthly. The dorsogluteal site is recommended. A 3.75-cm (1.5-inch), 21-gauge needle is generally used, but obese individuals may require a 6.5-cm (2.5-inch) needle to ensure that the drug is indeed injected intramuscularly and not subcutaneously. Haloperidol decanoate is provided in the form of 50 or 100 mg/mL

oil solution An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

of sesame oil and benzyl alcohol in ampoules or pre-filled syringes. Its

elimination half-life Biological half-life (also known as elimination half-life, pharmacologic half-life) is the time taken for concentration of a biological substance (such as a medication) to decrease from its maximum concentration ( Cmax) to half of Cmax in the bl ...

after multiple doses is 21 days. The medication is marketed in many countries throughout the world.

References

4-Phenylpiperidines Antipsychotic esters Butyrophenone antipsychotics Chloroarenes Decanoate esters Fluoroarenes Johnson & Johnson brands Janssen Pharmaceutica NMDA receptor antagonists Prodrugs Prolactin releasers Suspected embryotoxicants Suspected fetotoxicants Tertiary alcohols Typical antipsychotics {{Psychoactive-stub

See also

References