Haldol

Brand Names

Haldol, Haloperidol

What is Haldol

Haldol is an antipsychotic medicine that effective in the treatment of schizophrenia. This medicine can also be used to control motor and speech tics in people with Tourette's syndrome. It works by changing the actions of chemicals in your brain.

Side effects of Haldol

Haldol may cause the following side effects:

• drowsiness
• dry mouth
• increased saliva
• blurred vision
• loss of appetite
• constipation
• diarrhea
• heartburn
• nausea
• vomiting
• difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• blank facial expression
• uncontrollable eye movements
• unusual, slowed, or uncontrollable movements of any part of the body
• restlessness
• agitation
• nervousness
• mood changes
• dizziness
• headache
• breast enlargement or pain
• breast milk production
• missed menstrual periods
• decreased sexual ability in men
• increased sexual desire
• difficulty urinating
• fever
• muscle stiffness
• confusion
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• sweating
• decreased thirst
• neck cramps
• tongue that sticks out of the mouth
• tightness in the throat
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• fine, worm-like tongue movements
• uncontrollable, rhythmic face, mouth or jaw movements
• seizures
• eye pain or discoloration
• decreased vision, especially at night
• seeing everything with a brown tint
• rash
• yellowing of the skin or eyes
• erection that lasts for hours

Indication

Haldol is used to treat the following conditions:

• Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia
• Tics (including vocal tics) associated with Tourette syndrome
• Severe behavior problems in children
• Severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children (for short-term use only)

Haldol tablets and oral solution are effective for treating the above conditions. Short-acting injectable Haldol is used in the treatment of schizophrenia and Tourette syndrome, while long-acting injectable Haldol is used for chronic treatment of schizophrenia.

Precautions

It is very important to inform your doctor if you:

• Have parkinson's disease
• Have heart problems, including an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
• Have an electrolyte imbalance, especially low potassium in your blood (hypokalemia)
• Have seizures or epilepsy
• Have an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
• Have glaucoma
• Have bipolar disorder
• Have an enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH)
• Have difficulty passing urine
• Have any allergies, including allergies to food, dyes or preservatives
• Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
• Are breastfeeding
• Drink alcohol

Dosage forms

Oral Haldol dose for adults

The recommended starting Haldol dose for adults is 0.5-2 mg 2-3 times daily (for moderate symptoms) or Haldol 3-5 mg 2-3 times daily (for severe symptoms). Your doctor may increase your Haldol dose in order to control your symptoms. Older people, or those with other health problems, may need to start at the lower dose (Haldol 0.5-2 mg 2-3 times daily).

Oral Haldol dose for Children

For children ages 3 and older, the recommended Haldol dose depends upon the child's weight and the condition being treated. For psychotic disorders in children, the recommended starting dose is Haldol 0.05-0.15 mg per kg total per day (about 0.02-0.07 mg per pound per day), divided into 2 or 3 smaller doses per day. For behavior problems and Tourette syndrome in children, the recommended starting dose is Haldol 0.05-0.075 mg per kg total per day (about 0.02-0.03 mg per pound per day), divided into 2 or 3 smaller doses per day.

Injectable Haldol dose

The dose of the Haldol injection can vary greatly from person to person, depending on many different factors. The short-acting Haldol injection is given several times a day (usually used temporarily to control very severe symptoms), while the long-acting Haldol injection is given just once a month.