Abstract

Objectives: To reduce risks and still take advantage of the benefits of the medication, the pur-pose of this study was to investigate the possible application of longer intervals between inje-ctions of fluphenazine deconoate intramuscularly in treatment of schizophrenia and schizo-affective disorders.

Method: In this double blind study, fifty patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective dis-orders were randomly assigned to two groups of 25 patients. The first group received 25mg of fluphenazine decanoate every 2 weeks the second group was treated every 6 weeks. The two groups were then evaluated by CGI, Quality of Life Scale, Level of Functioning Scale, BPRS, and Maryland Psychiatric Research Center Involuntary Movement�Scale. Research data were analyzed by Chi-square and one-way analysis variance.

Findings: The findings did not support a clear difference in relapse symptoms and side effects.

Results: The use of injections of fluphenazine every 6 weeks instead of every 2 weeks in-creases the rate of patient compliance with treatment and also remarkably decreases side effects of antipsychotic drugs without increasing relapse symptoms.