Before starting a long-acting injectable antipsychotic, confirm that the patient has tolerated the same drug orally, or give an oral test dose where there has been no prior exposure. A depot cannot be withdrawn once given, and adverse effects can persist for weeks. Review for extrapyramidal symptoms at each early injection.
- Confirm prior oral tolerance of the same molecule before the first injection.
- Check the product's own loading and oral-overlap schedule; they differ between depots.
- Examine for tremor, rigidity and akathisia at each early injection.
- Record the injection site and date so missed doses are spotted quickly.
Why it matters
A reaction to a depot lasts as long as the depot does.
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