Plasma levels of perphenazine related to clinical effect and extrapyramidal side-effects

Abstract

Many investigators have attempted to evaluate a correlation between the therapeutic effect and the plasma concentration of neuroleptic drugs (Buyze et al., 1973; Davis et al., 1974; Mjørndal and Oreland, 1971; Wiles and Franklin, 1978). Unfortunately, simultaneous registration of the degree of side-effects is often lacking. However, clinical experience shows that development of side-effects of neuroleptic drugs, especially extrapyramidal reactions, may have such substantial negative influence on the effort of resocialization that the total situation remains unsatisfactory in spite of amelioration of the psychotic symptoms (Bolvig Hansen et al., 1981). Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to handle neuroleptics in a way which gives maximal therapeutic effect with a minimum of side-effects.