Haloperidol
About
Haloperidol belongs to a group of medications called ‘antipsychotics’. It is used in the treatment of Schizophrenia or psychosis and Tourette Syndrome. Schizophrenia is characterized by hallucinations symptoms (seeing or hearing things that are not real) and delusions (wrong beliefs). Haloperidol prevents the occurrence of these symptoms. Tourette syndrome is a disorder that involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds (tics) that can't be easily controlled.
Haloperidol contains ‘Haloperidol’, which is a typical antipsychotic drug. It works by blocking the action of dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain that affects thoughts and mood.
Take Haloperidol as prescribed by your doctor. You are advised to take Haloperidol as long as your doctor has recommended it for you, depending on your medical condition. In some cases, you may experience certain common side effects such as abnormality of voluntary movements, constipation, dryness in the mouth, the increased prolactin level in the blood, muscle stiffness, orthostatic hypotension (sudden lowering of blood pressure on standing), sleepiness, tremor, urinary retention, weight gain. Most of these side effects of Haloperidol do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if these side effects persist longer, please consult your doctor.
Do not take Haloperidol if you are allergic to Haloperidol or any other ingredients present in it. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has ever had prolonged QT syndrome, breast cancer, bipolar disorder, citrullinemia, seizures, chest pain, or thyroid disease. Haloperidol is not recommended during pregnancy as it may affect the unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding before taking Haloperidol. It is not recommended for use in children under 1 year of age. Haloperidol is used with caution in neuroleptic malignant syndrome, tardive dyskinesia, and dementia-related psychosis.
Uses of Haloperidol
Medicinal Benefits
Haloperidol belongs to a group of medications called ‘antipsychotics’. It is used in the treatment of Schizophrenia or psychosis and Tourette Syndrome. Haloperidol contains ‘Haloperidol’, which is a typical antipsychotic drug. It works by blocking the action of dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain that affects thoughts and mood.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Haloperidol
- Abnormality of voluntary movements
- Feeling agitated
- Depression
- Difficulty sleeping
- Problems with vision, such as blurred vision
- Headache
- Constipation
- Dry mouth or increased saliva
- The increased prolactin level in the blood
- Muscle stiffness
- Orthostatic hypotension (sudden lowering of blood pressure on standing)
- Sleepiness
- Difficulty getting and keeping an erection (impotence)
- Tremor
- Urinary retention
- Changes that show up in blood tests of the liver
- Weight gain
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Do not take Haloperidol if you are allergic to Haloperidol or any other ingredients present in it. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has ever had prolonged QT syndrome, breast cancer, bipolar disorder, citrullinemia (a condition that causes a build-up of ammonia in the blood), seizures, chest pain, or thyroid disease. Haloperidol is not recommended during pregnancy as it may affect the unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding before taking Haloperidol. It is not recommended for use in children under one year of age. Haloperidol is used with caution in neuroleptic malignant syndrome, tardive dyskinesia, dementia-related psychosis, Parkinson's disease, and venous thromboembolism. Haloperidol is used with caution in the elderly population due to the increased risk of orthostatic hypotension and kidney injury. Do not abruptly stop taking the Haloperidol, as it may cause withdrawal symptoms, especially suicidal thoughts in young adults. Tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking Haloperidol if you are having surgery, including dental surgery. You should know that this medication may make you drowsy and may affect your thinking and movements. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. Ask your doctor about the safe use of alcohol during your treatment with Haloperidol. Alcohol can make the side effects of Haloperidol worse. You should know that name may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up too quickly from a lying position. To avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Haloperidol may interact with some medications, including antidepressants (citalopram, escitalopram, bupropion), medicines for Parkinson’s disease (levodopa), antiepileptic ( carbamazepine, phenobarbital), medicines control heartbeat (amiodarone, disopyramide, quinidine), medicines used to calm emotion and mental disorder (olanzapine, prochlorperazine) antihypertensive (clonidine, guanethidine, propranolol), antibiotic (moxifloxacin), a medication used to treat mental illness (lithium), antifungals (pentamidine), antimalarials (halofantrine), gastrointestinal medicinal products (dolasetron), anti-cancer (toremifene, vandetanib), antipsychotic (thioridazine).
Drug-Food Interactions: Haloperidol may interact with grapefruit and alcohol and increase the risk of side effects.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Haloperidol should be used with caution in patients with heart problems such as QT prolongation (heart rhythm problem), acute alcohol abuse, central nervous system (CNS) depression, dementia, stroke, seizures, diabetes, and kidney and liver problems.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAlcohol may worsen the condition and increase the risk of side effects while using Haloperidol.
Pregnancy
cautionHaloperidol is a category C pregnancy drug; using Haloperidol during pregnancy may affect the unborn baby. Please consult your doctor before taking Haloperidol if you are pregnant or planning to conceive.
Breast Feeding
cautionHaloperidol is known to pass through breast milk. So, it is recommended not to be taken during breastfeeding. However, your doctor may prescribe it for you during breastfeeding if he/she feels that the benefits outweigh the risk.
Driving
unsafeHaloperidol may cause a few patients, especially the elderly, to become drowsy, dizzy, light-headed, clumsy, unsteady, or less alert than normal. If you are affected, do not drive or operate dangerous machinery after taking Haloperidol.
Liver
cautionHaloperidol should be used with caution in patients with liver diseases. Dose adjustments may be necessary.
Kidney
cautionHaloperidol should be used with caution in patients with kidney diseases. Dose adjustments may be necessary.
Children
cautionHaloperidol is not recommended for children below one year of age. However, please consult a doctor before giving Haloperidol to children.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Monitor your mood. Keep track of your mood regularly, including factors such as sleep, medicine, and activities that can impact your mood.
- Exercise daily. Exercise is nice to relieve tension.
- You may also practice calming techniques such as meditation and deep breathing exercises.
- Get some normal sleep. Having enough sleep will help to stabilize your mood.
- Eat a healthy diet. Certain foods may affect your mood more than others. Consider keeping a food log to track what you eat and how certain foods make you feel. Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about foods that may help stabilize your mood.
- Stay optimistic. It will take time for your symptoms to improve after you start bipolar therapy, but you will feel relaxed knowing that you will get better and that the worst is most definitely behind you.
- A healthy diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, skinless poultry, nuts, fish, whole grains, plant-based oils, and low-fat dairy products will help keep a person in good health and avoid chances of nausea and vomiting.
- One should avoid taking greasy or oily foods as this food triggers nausea and vomiting.
- Eat cool foods instead of hot and spicy foods.
- Include clear broths, non-fat yoghurt, fruit juice, sherbet, and sports drinks for fluid makeup which has got lost due to vomiting.
Special Advise
- Geriatric patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with Haloperidol are at an increased risk of death, and please consult your doctor before taking Haloperidol.
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and sticking to your treatment plan will help you do that.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. It may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behaviour that impairs daily functioning and can be disabling.
Tourette syndrome: Tourette syndrome is a disorder that involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds (tics) that can't be easily controlled. For instance, you might repeatedly blink your eyes, shrug your shoulders or blurt out unusual sounds or offensive words.
FAQs
Haloperidol contains ‘Haloperidol’, which is a typical antipsychotic drug. It works by blocking the action of dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain that affects thoughts and mood.
You are not recommended to stop taking Haloperidol without consulting your doctor. It may cause withdrawal symptoms such as palpitations (the sensation that heart skipped a beat or extra beat), anxiety, confusion, difficulty sleeping and tremors. Therefore, take Haloperidol for as long as your doctor has prescribed it, and if you experience any difficulty while taking Haloperidol, please consult your doctor so that the dose may be gradually reduced.
In some cases, long-term use of Haloperidol may cause dyskinesia (a movement disorder). However, your doctor prescribes this medication if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Haloperidol is not recommended in patients with dementia-related psychosis as it increases the risk of heart diseases like heart failure and infectious diseases like pneumonia. An alternate medicine should be considered based on the clinical condition.
