Abstract
Schizophrenia is a mysterious, crippling illness characterized by disordered thinking, delusions, hallucinations, and withdrawal from the external world. Until the early 1950s it was treated with electroconvulsive shock or hypoglycemie shock induced with insulin, often resulting in memory dysfunction, amnesia, and subtle impairment of cognitive function (Taylor, 1982; Squire, 1982). In addition, drugs (barbiturates, morphine, and other sedatives) were used to calm (control) the agitated patient. Sleep therapy was in vogue. Unfortunately, paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, and disturbed thought processes were not affected by either shock or sleep therapies. As pointed out by Hollister (1972), pneumonia and cardiovascular collapse were often associated with the aggressive use of sedatives. These “therapies” prevented the creation of rapport with the patient and the initiation of psychotherapy. Chlorpromazine completely removed this impasse: it calmed highly agitated patients and dramatically improved other symptoms of psychosis. It was evident that the efficacy of chlorpromazine transcended its sedative actions. Chlorpromazine could be used regardless of age or sex, in the hospital or on an outpatient basis, and was effective at any stage of the illness.
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Maxwell, R.A., Eckhardt, S.B. (1990). Chlorpromazine. In: Drug Discovery. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0469-5_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0469-5_8
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