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Pharmacokinetics of long-acting injectable neuroleptic drugs: clinical implications

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Abstract

The authors review the literature regarding the pharmacokinetics of long-acting injectable neuroleptic drugs (LINS). There are important differences between LINS and oral neurolepties that affect their pharmacokinetics. By avoiding first pass metabolism in gut and liver, LINS result in lower circulating concentrations of metabolites than are found after oral administration. In addition, LINS take more time to reach a stable steady state than their oral counterparts. The clinical significance of these pharmacokinetic properties is discussed. The authors recommend that when patients are being changed from oral neuroleptics to LINS, that this conversion be done gradually over several months.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. West Los Angeles Veterans Administration Medical Center, Brentwood Division and the School of Medicine, University of California, 90073, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Stephen R. Marder & Theodore Van Putten

  2. Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, S7NOWO, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    John W. Hubbard & Kamal K. Midha

Authors
  1. Stephen R. Marder
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  2. John W. Hubbard
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  3. Theodore Van Putten
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  4. Kamal K. Midha
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Marder, S.R., Hubbard, J.W., Van Putten, T. et al. Pharmacokinetics of long-acting injectable neuroleptic drugs: clinical implications. Psychopharmacology 98, 433–439 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00441937

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