A long-acting antipsychotic formulation is known as what?

A long-acting antipsychotic formulation is known as what?

• A. Decanoate
• B. Enanthate
• C. Acetate
• D. Suspension

Answer: (A)

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics use a depot mechanism formed by esterifying the drug to a fatty acid, which slows release and keeps levels in the bloodstream for weeks after a single shot. The decanoate form is a classic and widely used depot ester for these medications, making the drug highly lipophilic and releasing slowly as the ester is hydrolyzed. That slow release is what stretches dosing intervals from days to weeks, often every 2–4 weeks or up to monthly, which is the hallmark of a long-acting formulation. While other esters like enanthate exist for some drugs, decanoate is the standard term you’ll see most often in long-acting antipsychotics such as haloperidol decanoate or fluphenazine decanoate. A mere suspension lacks this chemical basis for extended release, so it doesn’t define a long-acting formulation.

Long-acting injectable antipsychotics use a depot mechanism formed by esterifying the drug to a fatty acid, which slows release and keeps levels in the bloodstream for weeks after a single shot. The decanoate form is a classic and widely used depot ester for these medications, making the drug highly lipophilic and releasing slowly as the ester is hydrolyzed. That slow release is what stretches dosing intervals from days to weeks, often every 2–4 weeks or up to monthly, which is the hallmark of a long-acting formulation. While other esters like enanthate exist for some drugs, decanoate is the standard term you’ll see most often in long-acting antipsychotics such as haloperidol decanoate or fluphenazine decanoate. A mere suspension lacks this chemical basis for extended release, so it doesn’t define a long-acting formulation.