Haldol Decanoate

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How does it work?

Haloperidol decanoate belongs to a group of medicines known as the butyrophenone antipsychotics. It is sometimes described as a 'major tranquilliser'. It acts by blocking a variety of receptors in the brain, particularly dopamine receptors. Dopamine is involved in transmitting signals between brain cells. When there is an excess amount of dopamine in the brain it causes over-stimulation of dopamine receptors. These receptors normally act to modify behaviour and over-stimulation may result in psychotic illness. Haloperidol blocks these receptors and stops them becoming over-stimulated, thereby helping to control psychotic illness. Haloperidol decanoate has been prepared as an oily injection which relases the medicine slowly over a period of 4 weeks. This is known as a "depot" injection.

What is it used for?

- Psychotic illness
- Schizophrenia

Warning!

- Do not drink alcohol whilst taking this medicine.

Use with caution in

- Abnormal heart rhythm seen on the heart monitoring trace (ECG) as a 'prolonged QT interval'
- Alcoholism
- Breastfeeding
- Depression
- Disease involving the heart and blood vessels
- Disease of the blood vessels in and around the brain
- Epilepsy
- Kidney failure
- Liver disease
- Low blood magnesium levels (hypomagnesaemia), eg resulting from malabsorption, chronic alcoholism, malnutrition or severe diarrhoea
- Low blood potassium levels (hypokalaemia)
- Low levels of calcium in the blood (hypocalcaemia)
- People with conditions that increase the risk of epilepsy or convulsions, eg brain damage
- Pregnancy
- Starvation
- Thyroid disease
- Tumour of the adrenal gland (phaeochromocytoma)

Not to be used in

- Children
- Disorders affecting a specific part of the brain involved in control of movement (basal ganglia), eg Parkinson's disease or Huntington's chorea
- Parkinson's disease
- Reduced awareness, slow reactions or drowsiness due to medicines or illness that reduce activity in the central nervous system
- Unresponsive unconscious states (comatose states)

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

- This medicine should be used with caution during pregnancy, and only if the expected benefit to the mother is greater than any possible risk to the foetus. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
- This medicine passes into breast milk. Seek medical advice from your doctor before using this medicine during breastfeeding.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

- Blurred vision
- A drop in blood pressure that occurs when going from lying down to sitting or standing, which results in dizziness and lightheadedness (postural hypotension)
- Impotence
- Drowsiness
- Blood disorders
- Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain
- Abnormal heart beats (arrhythmias)
- Difficulty in passing urine (urinary retention)
- Abnormal movements of the hands, legs, face, neck and tongue, eg tremor, twitching, rigidity (extrapyramidal effects)
- High blood prolactin (milk producing hormone) level (hyperprolactinaemia). Sometimes this can lead to symptoms such as breast enlargement, production of milk and stopping of menstrual periods.
- Rhythmical involuntary movement of the tongue, face, mouth and jaw, which may sometimes be accompanied by involuntary movements of the arms and legs (tardive dyskinesia)
- Uncontrolled rolling of the eyes and neck (oculogyric crisis). Requires immediate treatment.
- High temperature combined with falling levels of consciousness, paleness, sweating and a fast heart beat (neuroleptic malignant syndrome). Requires stopping the medicine and immediate medical treatment.

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

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