2005; American Psychiatric Association, 2004]. IM olanzapine is a drug that has basically the same pharmacokinetics as oral olanzapine. The main difference compared with the oral formulation is that, since

absorption is rapid following IM administration, the time to effect onset is shorter [Bergstrom et al. 1999]. In December 2012, IM olanzapine came on the market in Japan. However, there have not been any reports in Japan Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical clarifying the efficacy and safety of IM olanzapine and IM haloperidol in agitated elderly patients with schizophrenia. In this study, we investigated the clinical efficacy and safety of IM olanzapine and IM haloperidol in agitated elderly patients with schizophrenia. Methods Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Subjects The subjects were 23 patients who were being treated on an inpatient basis at the psychiatry departments of Tanzawa

Hospital and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Elderly schizophrenia patients (age >60 years) with persistence of symptoms receiving antipsychotic monotherapy were enrolled into this study. Inclusion criteria were: all patients had a total score of 14 or higher on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Excited Component (PANSS-EC) and it was concluded by the treating psychiatrist that the patient needed to be treated with an IM injection; all patients were able to provide informed consent or cooperate with the requirements of the study; and patients had been treated with a stable dose of an oral antipsychotic drug monotherapy for at least 3 months. Exclusion criteria were: patients exhibiting allergic reactions or resistance to olanzapine or haloperidol; and patients with serious internal medicine comorbidities. Patients meeting the Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical following concomitant therapy criteria were excluded from Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical this study in order to clarify the difference in the efficacy of IM olanzapine and IM haloperidol: patients receiving oral olanzapine or haloperidol; and patients receiving benzodiazepine receptor agonists within 4 hours prior to IM administration. The IM olanzapine selleck compound injection group (12 subjects) and the IM haloperidol injection group (11

subjects) were recruited separately. There were no other PD184352 (CI-1040) medications besides the study antipsychotic. The study was a nonrandomized, not double-blind, open-labeled, flexible dose, naturalistic observational trial of schizophrenia patients who required an addition to their medication because of acute agitation. The IM olanzapine injection group did not differ in having side effects or symptoms compared with the IM haloperidol injection group. Until November 2012, most patients were receiving the IM haloperidol injection (2.5 or 5.0 mg) and until January 2013, the IM olanzapine injection (5.0, 7.5 or 10.0 mg). This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and received the necessary official approval to be conducted at each hospital site.