Dose reduction of high-dose first-generation antipsychotics or switch to ziprasidone in long-stay patients with schizophrenia: A 1-year double-blind randomized clinical trial

Our study establishes that lowering high FGA doses to an equivalent of 5 mg/day haloperidol or switching to ziprasidone is feasible in the vast majority of patients but does not improve negative or other symptoms. Neither FGA dose reduction nor switching to ziprasidone is an adequate alternative to clozapine for long-stay patients with severe treatment resistant schizophrenia.