Tags

Type your tag names separated by a space and hit enter

Combination loxapine and aripiprazole for refractory hallucinations in schizophrenia.
Ann Pharmacother. 2011 Jul; 45(7-8):e36.AP

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To document the effects of combining loxapine with aripiprazole for refractory hallucinations in 2 patients with chronic schizophrenia.

CASE SUMMARY

Two patients with schizophrenia and auditory hallucinations that were unresponsive to what was considered adequate treatment with multiple typical and atypical antipsychotic medications given over several years were prescribed a combination of aripiprazole 20-30 mg and high-dose loxapine (100-300 mg/day). Both patients had refused clozapine and depot antipsychotics. Aripiprazole/loxapine therapy resolved hallucinations in both patients, and discontinuation of either medication resulted in a return of persecutory voices. Breakthrough hallucinations in both individuals responded to increasing the loxapine dosage. Adverse effects included hypersalivation and tremor, which were treated with benztropine and propranolol. The patients also reported mild sedation, which resolved after several weeks of treatment. Both patients continued to do well during 2 years after starting this combination of medications.

DISCUSSION

Recent research has indicated serotonergic and dopaminergic abnormalities in the superior temporal gyrus of patients with a history of chronic auditory hallucinations. Both loxapine and aripiprazole have effects on dopaminergic and postsynaptic serotonergic (5-HT₂A) receptor systems, which could account for synergistic effects in treating refractory hallucinations. The combination appears safe, even when loxapine is given in high dosages. Patients should be monitored for the development of parkinsonian tremors.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of aripiprazole and high-dose loxapine should be considered in patients with schizophrenia who develop treatment-refractory hallucinations, particularly those who are unwilling to accept treatment with either depot antipsychotics or clozapine.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors+Show Affiliations

Sokolski KN
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, The University of California, Irvine, CA, USA. KKSOKOLSKI@aol.com

MeSH

AdultAntipsychotic AgentsAripiprazoleDose-Response Relationship, DrugDrug MonitoringDrug ResistanceDrug Therapy, CombinationHallucinationsHumansLoxapineMaleMiddle AgedPiperazinesQuinolonesSchizophreniaSerotonin 5-HT2 Receptor AntagonistsTreatment Outcome

Pub Type(s)

Case Reports
Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

21672885

Citation

Sokolski, Kenneth N.. "Combination Loxapine and Aripiprazole for Refractory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia." The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, vol. 45, no. 7-8, 2011, pp. e36.
Sokolski KN. Combination loxapine and aripiprazole for refractory hallucinations in schizophrenia. Ann Pharmacother. 2011;45(7-8):e36.
Sokolski, K. N. (2011). Combination loxapine and aripiprazole for refractory hallucinations in schizophrenia. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 45(7-8), e36. https://doi.org/10.1345/aph.1Q088
Sokolski KN. Combination Loxapine and Aripiprazole for Refractory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia. Ann Pharmacother. 2011;45(7-8):e36. PubMed PMID: 21672885.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Combination loxapine and aripiprazole for refractory hallucinations in schizophrenia. A1 - Sokolski,Kenneth N, Y1 - 2011/06/13/ PY - 2011/6/16/entrez PY - 2011/6/16/pubmed PY - 2011/12/13/medline SP - e36 EP - e36 JF - The Annals of pharmacotherapy JO - Ann Pharmacother VL - 45 IS - 7-8 N2 - OBJECTIVE: To document the effects of combining loxapine with aripiprazole for refractory hallucinations in 2 patients with chronic schizophrenia. CASE SUMMARY: Two patients with schizophrenia and auditory hallucinations that were unresponsive to what was considered adequate treatment with multiple typical and atypical antipsychotic medications given over several years were prescribed a combination of aripiprazole 20-30 mg and high-dose loxapine (100-300 mg/day). Both patients had refused clozapine and depot antipsychotics. Aripiprazole/loxapine therapy resolved hallucinations in both patients, and discontinuation of either medication resulted in a return of persecutory voices. Breakthrough hallucinations in both individuals responded to increasing the loxapine dosage. Adverse effects included hypersalivation and tremor, which were treated with benztropine and propranolol. The patients also reported mild sedation, which resolved after several weeks of treatment. Both patients continued to do well during 2 years after starting this combination of medications. DISCUSSION: Recent research has indicated serotonergic and dopaminergic abnormalities in the superior temporal gyrus of patients with a history of chronic auditory hallucinations. Both loxapine and aripiprazole have effects on dopaminergic and postsynaptic serotonergic (5-HT₂A) receptor systems, which could account for synergistic effects in treating refractory hallucinations. The combination appears safe, even when loxapine is given in high dosages. Patients should be monitored for the development of parkinsonian tremors. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of aripiprazole and high-dose loxapine should be considered in patients with schizophrenia who develop treatment-refractory hallucinations, particularly those who are unwilling to accept treatment with either depot antipsychotics or clozapine. SN - 1542-6270 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/21672885/Combination_loxapine_and_aripiprazole_for_refractory_hallucinations_in_schizophrenia_ L2 - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1345/aph.1Q088?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub=pubmed DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -