Haldol

• The recommended oral dose for schizophrenia is 0.5-5 mg two or three times daily up to a maximum dose of 30 mg daily. The lactate solution dose is 2-5 mg every 4-8 hours as needed by intramuscular injection. The lactate solution may also be administered by intravenous injection at 1-2 mg every 2-4 hours and titrated to effect. The maximum single injection dose is 50 mg and the maximum daily dose is 500 mg daily. The dose for the decanoate solution is 10-20 times the daily oral dose once monthly by intramuscular injection. The decanoate solution should not be administered intravenously.
• The recommended dose for treating Tourette's syndrome is 0.5-5 mg orally two or three times daily.

Haldol is the brand name for haloperidol, an anti-psychotic medicine used to treat mental and mood disorders, including schizophrenia and acute psychosis.

It is often used in emergency room psychiatric situations. It helps reduce aggression, negative thoughts, and the desire to harm someone or oneself.

It can also help to reduce hallucinations, as well as to treat uncontrolled outbursts related to Tourette's disorder, and it can be used for short periods of time for people who have acute agitation.

In children, Haldol may be used for severe behavior problems including hyperactivity or aggression.

Haloperidol was developed by a Belgian company in 1958, and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1967. McNeil Laboratories marketed the drug under the brand name Haldol. The tablet forms are now available only generically.

Haldol Warnings

Haldol may make you dizzy, so do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you. Do not drink alcohol and use Haldol.

Haldol should not be used to treat dementia in elderly patients. For people with diabetes, Haldol may affect blood sugar levels.

Consult with your physician about your medical history, including nervous system problems such as Parkinson's disease.

Discuss bipolar disorder, angina, depression, overactive thyroid, prostate problems, and glaucoma, as well as seizures.

Tell your physician if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Haldol is secreted into breast milk, so discuss the potential risks against the potential benefits with your health care provider.

Haldol interacts with a large number of drugs, so it's important to discuss all possible interactions with your doctor or pharmacist to avoid undesirable interactions. Drugs which may interact with Haldol include:

• Anticholinergic medications, such as scopolamine (Transderm-Scop) and lithium (Eskalith)
• Drugs for Parkinson's disease
• Heart rhythm drugs
• Antidepressants
• Sleep medication
• Anti-anxiety medication
• Muscle relaxants
• Psychiatric medications
• Narcotic pain relievers
• Epinephrine (Auvi-Q)
• Amphetamine
• Certain antibiotics

Avoid drinking alcohol when using Haldol.

Haldol is a prescription medication used to treat psychotic disorders (conditions that cause difficulty telling the difference between things or ideas that are real and things or ideas that are not real). Haldol is used for the treatment of schizophrenia. Haldol is also used to control motor tics (uncontrollable need to repeat certain body movements) and verbal tics (uncontrollable need to repeat sounds or words) in adults and children who have Tourette's disorder (condition characterized by motor or verbal tics). Haldol is also used to treat severe behavioral problems such as explosive, aggressive behavior or hyperactivity in children who cannot be treated with psychotherapy or with other medications.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Studies have shown that older adults with dementia (a brain disorder that affects the ability to remember, think clearly, communicate, and perform daily activities and that may cause changes in mood and personality) who take antipsychotics (medications for mental illness) such as haloperidol have an increased chance of death during treatment.

Haldol is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of behavior problems in older adults with dementia. Talk to the doctor who prescribed this medication if you, a family member, or someone you care for has dementia and is taking Haldol.

Haloperidol may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.

Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of haloperidol.

Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. You may be more prone to heat stroke while you are taking haloperidol.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:

• Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Trouble controlling body movements, twitching, change in balance, trouble swallowing or speaking.
• Very bad dizziness or passing out.
• Shakiness, trouble moving around, or stiffness.
• Not able to pass urine.
• Feeling very tired or weak.
• Any unexplained bruising or bleeding.
• Change in eyesight.
• Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there).
• Seizures.
• Mood changes.
• Enlarged breasts.
• Change in sex ability.
• For women, no period.
• Nipple discharge.
• Some people who take this medicine may get a very bad muscle problem called tardive dyskinesia. This muscle problem may not go away even if Haldol is stopped. Sometimes, signs may lessen or go away over time after this medicine is stopped. The risk of tardive dyskinesia may be greater in people with diabetes and in older adults, especially older women. The risk is also greater the longer you take Haldol or with higher doses. Muscle problems may also occur after short-term use with low doses. Call your doctor right away if you have trouble controlling body movements or if you have muscle problems with your tongue, face, mouth, or jaw like tongue sticking out, puffing cheeks, mouth puckering, or chewing.
• Call your doctor right away if you have a painful erection (hard penis) or an erection that lasts for longer than 4 hours. This may happen even when you are not having sex. If this is not treated right away, it may lead to lasting sex problems and you may not be able to have sex.
• Some people have gotten pneumonia when taking this medicine. Sometimes, this has been deadly. Call your doctor right away if you have fever, chest pain, cough, shortness of breath, or wheezing.

The precise mechanism of action has not been clearly established.