Haloperidol versus thioridazine in the treatment of behavioral symptoms in senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type: preliminary findings.

To compare the efficacy and side effects of haloperidol and thioridazine in the management of behavioral symptoms of senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type, 16 patients were studied in an open crossover design study. Following 2-week drug washout, patients were alternately assigned to either haloperidol (1, 2, and 5 mg/day for 2 weeks) or thioridazine (25, 50, and 75 mg/day for 2 weeks). After completing the first neuroleptic, patients were washed out and then tried on the second neuroleptic. Six patients completed the crossover design, 1 received only haloperidol, and 9 received only thioridazine. Both drugs were effective in managing target behaviors, which included hostility, uncooperativeness, bothersomeness, emotional lability, and irritability. Complaints of fatigue and extrapyramidal side effects were greater with haloperidol than with thioridazine. Neither compound produced significant impairments in cognition as assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination score or caused orthostatic hypertension.