A retrospective observational pharmaco-epidemiological survey was conducted during 24 weeks between October 2004 and March 2005 in metropolitan France (384 investigators) to more clearly define the use of loxapine in acute and chronic psychotic states. The objective of this national survey was to specify the clinical and therapeutic profile of patients managed by this antipsychotic in two cohorts of adult patients: one in "acute phase" (prescription of loxapine during the previous 4 weeks), the other in "maintenance phase" (prescription of loxapine for more than 8 weeks). The two groups of the recruited population (1,511 patients) presented identical sociodemographic data. Selection criteria were adapted to the data collected to ensure statistically relevant analysis: 696 patients in acute phase and 633 patients in maintenance phase. The acute phase group was predominantly composed of known patients (82% of patients had a psychotic history) with schizophrenia (47%) or mood disorders (57%) who had already presented acute episodes (an average of 5.4). The current episode consisted of a state of agitation (88%) lasting an average of two weeks, requiring hospitalization (87%), scheduled admission [HDT (admission at the request of another person) in 47.5% of cases and HO (statutory admission) in 40.8% of cases] and prescription of loxapine monotherapy (56%) at a mean daily dose of 177,3 mg. The maintenance phase group comprised a population of known patients (87.5%), schizophrenics (63%), presenting psychotic symptoms (dissociation 82%, delusions 74%) or mood disorders (71%) requiring voluntary hospitalization (78%) for a mean duration of 180 days and a prescription of loxapine monotherapy in 28% of cases at a mean daily dose of 131.6 mg. The loxapine-haloperidol combination (21%) was prescribed more frequently in the second group in the case of chronic disorders; in the other cases, loxapine was coprescribed with the main second generation antipsychotics: risperidone (16%), olanzapine (16%), amisulpride (11%). CGI assessment of the overall study population revealed a marked or very marked clinical improvement with no significant adverse effects in more than 80% of cases.