A Double-Blind Study of Amantadine Hydrochloride versus Benztropine Mesylate in Drug-Induced Parkinsonism

Abstract

A double-blind cross-over comparison of the relative efficacies of amantadine hydrochloride and benztropine mesylate was performed on a sample of patients showing parkinson-like side-effects secondary to the administration of antipsychotic drugs. Clinical evaluations of parkinson-like side-effects showed no difference in efficacy between the two drugs. While both clinical impressions and statistical analyses show benztropine mesylate to be more effective, both drugs show efficacy in reducing drug-induced parkinson-like side-effects.