Long Acting Antipsychotic Injections

NHSL Medicines Guidance
NHS Lanarkshire

General Notes

Consider offering Long Acting Antipsychotic injection (LAI) medication to people with schizophrenia:

  • who would prefer such treatment after an acute episode
  • where avoiding covert non-adherence (either intentional or unintentional) to antipsychotic medication is a clinical priority within the treatment plan.

NHSL Guideline Use of Antipsychotic Depot and Long-Acting Injections (LAI)

The Choice and Medication website offers patient information about mental health conditions and the treatments available to help make informed decisions about choosing the right medicine: www.choiceandmedication.org/nhs24/

First Generation Antipsychotic (FGA) Long Acting Injections

Specialist initiation (S1)

FLUPENTIXOL DECANOATE injection 

ZUCLOPENTHIXOL DECANOATE injection

HALOPERIDOL DECANOATE injection 

  • Haloperidol should not be initiated without an up to date ECG being available.

 

Second Generation Antipsychotic (SGA) Long Acting Injections

Specialist initiation (S1)

PALIPERIDONE MONTHLY injection

  • 3-monthly and 6-monthly preparations are currently non-formulary

ARIPIPRAZOLE MONTHLY injection

RISPERIDONE  TWO-WEEKLY injection

 

NHSL Joint Adult Formulary Key

To indicate the category of a formulary medicine, updated sections adopt the following key:

Preferred list (P): First-line formulary choices.

Total list (T): Alternative choices when preferred list options not effective/not tolerated, or not indicated.

Specialist initiation (S1): Specialist initiation, or on the advice of a Consultant or Specialist Practitioner in this therapeutic area. Continuation in primary care is acceptable.

Specialist use only (S2): Supply via hospital, Homecare Service or a hospital based prescription (HBP) for dispensing by community pharmacy. Not prescribed in primary care setting.

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 29/11/2023

Next review date: 31/01/2025

Author(s): NHSL.

Version: Please refer to the introduction section for an explanation of the review dates above.

Approved By: ADTC

Reviewer name(s): ADTC.