Haloperidol is an
antipsychotic medication. It also is used to control tics and vocal
utterances that are part of Tourette's syndrome. Haloperidol interferes
with the effects of neurotransmitters in the brain which are the
chemical messengers that nerves manufacture and release to communicate
with one another. It blocks receptors for the neurotransmitters
(specifically the dopamine and serotonin type 2 receptors) on the
nerves. As a result, the nerves are not "activated" by the
neurotransmitters released by other nerves. Haloperidol was approved by
the FDA in 1967. This drug is used to:
• Help a patient keep in touch with reality and reduce mental problems associated with acute schizophrenia.
• Control tics and outbursts in patients with Tourette’s syndrome.
• Treat mood swings, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, and improve attention span in children with sever conduct disorders.
• Treat acute psychosis
• Control manic phases, outbursts of aggression, agitation, disorganized, and psychotic thinking.
• Help treat false perceptions. (e.g. hallucinations or delusions, delirium in LSD flashback.)
• Treat psychosis associated with dementia, depressions, or mania.
SIDE EFFECTS: The most common side effects associated with
haloperidol are extrapyramidal effects (sudden, often jerky, involuntary
motions of the head, neck, arms, body, or eyes), dizziness,
hyperactivity, tiredness, and nausea. Haloperidol may cause a condition
called "orthostatic hypotension" during the early phase of treatment
(first week or two). Orthostatic hypotension causes patients to become
dizzy upon arising from a lying or sitting position because of a fall in
blood pressure.
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