Estezene Tablets 5mg

Requires Prescription (YES/NO)

Yes

Generics

Trifluoperazine HCl

Used For

Schizophrenia

How it works

A piperazine, phenothiazine tranquiliser with potent anti-psychotic, anxiolytic and antiemetic activity, and a pharmacological profile of moderate sedative and hypotensive properties and fairly pronounced tendency to cause extra pyramidal reactions.

Dosage

Schizophrenia: Low dose: 1-2 mg orally every 12 hour. High Dose: Initial: 2-5 mg orally every 12 hour; Maintenance Dose: 15-20 mg/day. Not to exceed 40mg/day. Non Psychotic Anxiety: 1-2 mg orally every 12 hour. Maximum Dose: 6 mg/day; not to exceed 12 weeks. Renal Impairment: Dose adjustment not necessary following dialysis or as directed by your physician.

Side Effects

Leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, hyperprolactinaemia, acute dystonias and dyskinesias, Parkinsonism, drowsiness, insomnia, tachycardia, hypotension, erythemas, anticholinergic effects, anorexia, depression, rash, photosensitivity, convulsions, blood dyscrasias, extrapyramidal symptoms, agitation, mental dulness, dizziness, ECG changes. Rarely, agranulocytosis, jaundice, neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

Drug Interactions

• Strong pain killers (e.g. codeine)

• Medicines which result in lowering of blood pressure (e.g. guanethidine)

• Anticholinergic medicines used to reduce saliva and lung secretions (e.g. atropine, procyclidine)

• Antidepressants (e.g. other phenothiazines, lithium)

• Medicines for fits (anticonvulsants)

• Medicines for Parkinson’s disease (e.g. levodopa)

• Blood thinning medicines (anticoagulants such as warfarin)

•Medicines used to treat iron poisoning (desferrioxamine)

• Antacids used to treat indigestion

• Medicines for psychiatric conditions (neuroleptics)

• Heart medicines which prolong the QT interval (e.g quinidine, disopyramide, procainamide, amiodarone, sotalol)

• Drugs causing electrolyte imbalances (e.g diuretics).

Indication

• At a low dose, it is used to manage anxiety and depression. It is used in this way for short periods of time.

• It may also be used to treat nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting (being sick).

• At high doses, it is used to treat and prevent relapses of schizophrenia (a serious mental illness) and related conditions.

When not to Use

• If you are allergic to trifluoperazine hydrochloride or any of the other ingredients of this medicine.

•If you are suffering from liver problems, blood disorders, inability of the heart to maintain adequate circulation causing breathlessness and swelling of the ankles. You should not be given this medicine if you are in a coma, especially if you have taken other central nervous system depressants.

Precaution

Cases of venous thromboembolism (VTE) have been reported with antipsychotic drugs. Since patients treated with antipsychotics often present with acquired risk factors for VTE, all possible risk factors for VTE should be identified before and during treatment with Trifluoperazine and preventive measures undertaken.

Warning 1

Trifluoperazine should be discontinued as the first sign of clinical symptoms of tardive dyskinesia and Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome.

Warning 2

In patients with Parkinson’s disease, symptoms may be worsened, and the effects of levodopa reversed. Since phenothiazines may lower the convulsive threshold, patients with epilepsy should be treated with caution, and metrizamide avoided. Although ‘Trifluoperazine’ has minimal anticholinergic activity, this should be borne in mind when treating patients with narrow angle glaucoma, myasthenia gravis or prostatic hypertrophy.

Warning 3

Acute withdrawal symptoms including nausea, vomiting and insomnia have been described after abrupt cessation of high doses of antipsychotic drugs.

Pregnancy category

Always consult your physician before using any medicine.

Storage (YES/NO)

Store this medicine at room temperature, away from direct light and heat.