Penfluridol is a long acting oral antipsychotic agent taken once a week for the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Weekly dosage regimen of the drug makes it an ideal drug in non-compliant patients, which is commonly seen in 50-75% of psychotic disorder patients. Better compliance may be associated with less relapses, better quality of life, less crises and less or shorter hospitalizations, leading to lower costs.
As a part of pharmacovigilance program of India, we hereby report a case of Penfluridol induced extrapyramidal symptoms in a patient with refractory schizophrenia who developed EPS even at the least possible dose of the drug. Relevant data was collected from case record as per Central Drug Standard Control Organisation form and causality, severity and preventability assessment was done as per Naranjos, Hartwigs and Schumock and Thornton scales respectively.
Key words: Typical antipsychotics, extrapyramidal symptoms, adverse drug reaction, refractory schizophrenia.
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