Pimozide
About
Pimozide belongs to a class of medication called antipsychotics used to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia (a mental illness). Also, Pimozide may be used to treat Tourette’s syndrome (neurological disorder). Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects the ability of a person to feel, think and behave clearly. Tourette’s syndrome is a disorder of the nervous system that causes repetitive, involuntary movements or sounds called tics.
Pimozide contains Pimozide that works by inhibiting the dopamine (chemical messenger) receptors in the brain. Dopamine is involved in regulating mood, behaviour and emotions. Thereby, Pimozide prevents dopamine overactivity and helps in controlling psychotic illness. Also, Pimozide decreases uncontrolled movements or outbursts of sounds or words (tics). Thus, it helps in lowering the number of tics in Tourette’s syndrome patients.
Take Pimozide as prescribed by your doctor. You are advised to take Pimozide for as long as your doctor has prescribed it for you based on your medical condition. Some people may experience drowsiness, excessive sweating, dizziness, urinating at night, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain, blurred vision or impotence (erectile dysfunction) in men. Most of these side effects of Pimozide do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
If you are allergic to Pimozide or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. Pimozide is not recommended for children below 12 years as the safety and effectiveness were not established. Avoid taking Pimozide if you are pregnant, especially in the third trimester as it may cause adverse effects in the baby. Therefore, inform your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Pimozide should be used with caution in elderly patients above 65 years with dementia (decline in memory, behaviour, thinking and ability to do daily activities). Please do not drink alcohol with Pimozide as it may increase drowsiness and other adverse effects. Avoid driving as Pimozide may cause dizziness, blurred vision or drowsiness.
Uses of Pimozide
Medicinal Benefits
Pimozide contains Pimozide, an antipsychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia (a mental illness) and Tourette’s syndrome (neurological disorder). Pimozide inhibits the dopamine (chemical messenger) receptors in the brain. Dopamine is involved in regulating mood, behaviour and emotions. Thereby, Pimozide prevents dopamine overactivity and helps in controlling psychotic illness. Also, Pimozide decreases uncontrolled movements or outbursts of sounds or words (tics). Thus, it helps in lowering the number of tics in Tourette’s syndrome patients.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Pimozide
- Drowsiness
- Excessive sweating
- Nervousness
- Restlessness
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Unusual hunger or thirst
- Changes in posture
- Speech problems
- Dizziness
- Urinating at night
- Dry mouth
- Constipation
- Weight gain
- Blurred vision
- Impotence (erectile dysfunction)
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
If you are allergic to Pimozide or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. Pimozide is not recommended for children below 12 years as the safety and effectiveness were not established. Avoid taking Pimozide if you are pregnant, especially in the third trimester as it may cause adverse effects in the baby. Therefore, inform your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Pimozide should be used with caution in elderly patients above 65 years with dementia (decline in memory, behaviour, thinking and ability to do daily activities). Avoid taking Pimozide if you have Parkinson’s disease, depression, low levels of electrolytes in the blood, irregular heartbeat, bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or other heart problems. Avoid drinking alcohol with Pimozide as it may increase drowsiness and other adverse effects. Avoid driving as Pimozide may cause dizziness, blurred vision or drowsiness.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Pimozide may interact with antifungals (miconazole, fluconazole, ketoconazole, itraconazole), antibiotics (clarithromycin, azithromycin, troleandomycin, erythromycin), heart-related medicines (disopyramide, procainamide, quinidine, amiodarone, sotalol, bretylium), antiallergic drugs (terfenadine), antimalarial drugs (mefloquine, quinine), antidepressants (maprotiline, sertraline, paroxetine, escitalopram, nefazodone, amitriptyline, citalopram), antipsychotics (sertindole, chlorpromazine, thioridazine), medicines for digestive problems (cisapride), drugs for weight control (sibutramine), drugs to treat HIV/AIDS (ritonavir, saquinavir, indinavir), opioid pain killers (codeine), anticonvulsants (lamotrigine, phenytoin, pregabalin), antiparkinson drug (levodopa).
Drug-Food Interaction: Avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice with $name as it may increase the levels of Pimozide in the body and affect heart rhythm. Also, avoid alcohol consumption with Pimozide it may increase the risk of drowsiness and other adverse effects.
Drug-Disease Interaction: Avoid taking Pimozide if you have Parkinson’s disease, depression, low levels of electrolytes in the blood, irregular heartbeat, bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or other heart problems. If you have fits, thyroid gland problems, kidney, liver or heart problems, phaeochromocytoma (tumour in the adrenal gland) or have a history of blood clots, inform your doctor before taking Pimozide.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAvoid consumption of alcohol with Pimozide as it may increase the risk of drowsiness and other adverse effects.
Pregnancy
unsafePimozide is not recommended for use during pregnancy especially in the third trimester as it may cause unwanted side effects to the baby. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy.
Breast Feeding
unsafePimozide is usually not recommended for breastfeeding mothers as it may be excreted in human milk in small amounts. Therefore, please consult a doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Driving
unsafePimozide may cause dizziness, blurred vision or drowsiness. Therefore, avoid driving if you feel drowsy, dizzy or experience any vision problems after taking Pimozide.
Liver
cautionTake Pimozide with caution, especially if you have a history of Liver diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Kidney
cautionTake Pimozide with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Children
unsafePimozide is not recommended for children below 12 years as the safety and effectiveness were not established.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Eat more fish, especially oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, pilchards and herring.
- Cut down sugars, salt and saturated fats.
- Drink adequate water to keep the body hydrated.
- Do regular exercise and maintain a stable weight as Pimozide may cause weight gain.
- Avoid consumption of alcohol as it may increase drowsiness.
Special Advise
- ECG (electrocardiogram) is recommended before and while taking Pimozide to measure the electrical activity of your heart.
- Blood tests are recommended while taking Pimozide to monitor the levels of electrolytes (minerals) in the blood.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Schizophrenia: It is a mental disorder that affects the ability of a person to feel, think and behave clearly. The symptoms include hallucinations, thought or movement disorders, delusions (misbelief), lack of emotion, sleep problems, isolating oneself from family and friends, difficulty in doing daily activities.
Tourette’s syndrome: Tourette’s syndrome is a disorder of the nervous system that causes repetitive, involuntary movements or sounds called tics such as repeatedly blinking the eyes, blurt out offensive words not intended to say or shrugging shoulders. It starts in childhood or adolescence. The treatment includes psychological therapies or/and medication.
FAQs
Pimozide contains Pimozide that works by inhibiting the dopamine (chemical messenger) receptors in the brain. Dopamine is involved in regulating mood, behaviour and emotions. Thereby, Pimozide prevents dopamine overactivity and helps in controlling psychotic illness. Also, Pimozide decreases uncontrolled movements or outbursts of sounds or words (tics). Thus, helps in lowering the number of tics in Tourette’s syndrome patients.
You are not recommended to take Pimozide with levodopa (antiparkinson drug) as it may decrease the effectiveness of levodopa and increase the risk of adverse effects such as low blood pressure, drowsiness, light-headedness and dizziness. However, please consult your doctor before using Pimozide with any other medicines.
Pimozide is not recommended for elderly people with dementia (decline in memory, behaviour, thinking and ability to do daily activities) as it may increase the risk of life-threatening adverse effects. Therefore, inform your doctor if you have dementia before taking Pimozide.
Pimozide may cause dizziness as a temporary adverse effect. However, if the condition persists or worsens, please consult a doctor.
Pimozide should be used with caution in patients suffering from fits as it may worsen the condition. Therefore, inform your doctor if you have a history of fits before taking Pimozide.
