Tiapride
About
Tiapride belongs to a class of drugs called 'antipsychotics' used to treat the behavioural disorder, dyskinesia (involuntary and abnormal movements), agitation and aggression in the elderly. Also, Tiapride is used to treat alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Psychotic illness may be caused due to disturbances in neurotransmitters' activity (chemical messengers) such as dopamine in the brain.
Tiapride contains Tiapride which works by preventing the release of a chemical messenger called 'dopamine' in the brain and prevents its overactivity. Thereby, it helps in controlling negative symptoms (such as lack of emotion, social isolation, poor attention and memory loss) of psychosis.
Your doctor will advise you how often you take Tiapride based on your medical condition. In some cases, you may experience drowsiness, dizziness, headache, impassivity (lack of emotion), insomnia (difficulty in sleeping), tremor and increased saliva production. Most of these side effects of Tiapride 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 Tiapride or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. Use Tiapride with extreme caution in elderly patients above 65 years of age as there is an increased risk of severe adverse effects. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please consult a doctor before taking Tiapride. Tiapride is not recommended for children below 18 years of age, as the safety and effectiveness were not established. Drive only if you are alert after taking Tiapride as it may cause drowsiness or dizziness. If you have breast cancer, pheochromocytoma (tumour of the adrenal gland), pituitary gland prolactinoma (tumour of the pituitary gland), fits, Parkinson’s disease, kidney or heart problems, inform your doctor before taking Tiapride.
Uses of Tiapride
Medicinal Benefits
Tiapride contains Tiapride, an antipsychotic used for treating the behavioural disorders, dyskinesia (involuntary and abnormal movements), agitation, and aggression in the elderly. Tiapride stabilizes the activity of dopamine. Tiapride inhibits the dopamine receptors in the brain and prevents its overactivity. Thereby, it helps control the negative symptoms (such as lack of emotion, social isolation, poor attention, and memory loss) of psychosis. Thereby, Tiapride improves behavior and thoughts and helps in having a better social life and comfortably doing daily activities. Also, Tiapride may be used to treat alcohol withdrawal syndrome and severe forms of abnormal movements (Huntington’s chorea).
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Tiapride
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Impassivity (lack of emotion)
- Insomnia (difficulty in sleeping)
- Tremor
- Increased saliva production
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
If you have breast cancer, pheochromocytoma (tumour of the adrenal gland), pituitary gland prolactinoma (tumour of the pituitary gland), fits, Parkinson’s disease, kidney or heart problems, inform your doctor before taking Tiapride. Use Tiapride with extreme caution in elderly patients above 65 years of age as there is an increased risk of severe adverse effects. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please consult a doctor before taking Tiapride. Tiapride may impair fertility, so inform your doctor if you are planning for pregnancy. Tiapride is not recommended for children below 18 years of age, as the safety and effectiveness were not established. Drive only if you are alert after taking Tiapride as it may cause drowsiness or dizziness. If you have a history of fits, please inform your doctor before taking Tiapride as it may increase the risk of worsening patient’s condition. Tiapride may cause neuroleptic malignant syndrome (a life-threatening reaction) associated with muscle rigidity or excessive heat in some people.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Tiapride may interact with antibiotics (erythromycin, spiramycin, moxifloxacin), anti-arrhythmic agents (bepridil, amiodarone, sotalol, dofetilide, ibutilide, quinidine, hydroquinidine, disopyramide), anti-allergic drug (mizolastine), antiparasitic drugs (halofantrine, pentamidine, lumefantrine), antipsychotics (flupentixol, droperidol, haloperidol, fluphenazine, pipamperone), opioid painkiller (methadone).
Drug-Food Interaction: Tiapride may interact with alcohol. Therefore, avoid alcohol intake with Tiapride as it may increase side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness or difficulty in concentrating.
Drug-Disease Interaction: If you have breast cancer, pheochromocytoma (tumour of the adrenal gland), pituitary gland prolactinoma (tumour of the pituitary gland), fits, Parkinson’s disease, kidney or heart problems, inform your doctor before taking Tiapride.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeYou are recommended to avoid alcohol consumption with Tiapride as it may increase the risk of side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness or difficulty in concentrating.
Pregnancy
cautionTiapride is given to pregnant women only if the doctor thinks benefits outweigh risks. Please consult a doctor if you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy.
Breast Feeding
cautionIt is unknown whether Tiapride is excreted in human milk. Therefore, it is given to breastfeeding mothers only if the doctor thinks benefits are greater than risks.
Driving
cautionTiapride may cause dizziness or drowsiness in some people. Therefore, avoid driving if you feel dizzy or drowsy after taking Tiapride.
Liver
cautionTake Tiapride with caution, especially if you have a history of Liver diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Kidney
cautionTake Tiapride with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. The dose may be adjusted by your doctor as required.
Children
unsafeTiapride is not recommended for children below 18 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 Tiapride may cause weight gain.
- Avoid consumption of alcohol as it may increase drowsiness.
Special Advise
- Tiapride is not recommended for use in the children below 18 years of age.
- Tiapride should be used with caution in the older patient (above 65 years) and Parkinson's patient.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Dyskinesia: It is a condition caused due to long-term use of certain antipsychotic drugs. It affects the nervous system and causes involuntary movements of mouth, lips, tongue or eyelids. The symptoms include rapid blinking, smacking lips repetitively and sticking tongue out.
Agitation and aggression: These are behavioural symptoms. Agitation is excessive motor activity (posture, strength, muscle tone) which can readily escalate to aggression that may be either physical (towards people or objects) or verbal (vicious threats and cursing).
FAQs
Tiapride contains Tiapride, an antipsychotic drug that works by inhibiting the dopamine receptors in the brain and prevents its overactivity. Thereby, helps in controlling the negative symptoms (such as lack of emotion, social isolation, poor attention and memory loss) of psychosis.
Tiapride is not recommended for a patient suffering from Parkinson’s disease as it may worsen the condition. However, if it is exceptionally required to use in Parkinson patient, the dose may be adjusted by a doctor accordingly.
Tiapride may affect fertility as it may cause hyperprolactinemia (excessive levels of prolactin hormone in the blood) resulting in amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods), anovulation (absence of egg release) and impaired fertility.
You are not recommended to take Tiapride with ibuprofen as co-administration of these medicines may increase the risk of severe heart rhythm disturbances. However, please consult a doctor before taking Tiapride with other medicines.
Tiapride is not recommended for dementia (loss of memory or other mental abilities) patients especially in elderly people as it may cause severe adverse effects including stroke. Therefore, it is advised to inform your doctor if you have dementia or history of stroke before taking Tiapride.
You are not recommended to stop taking Tiapride without consulting your doctor as it may worsen the condition or cause recurring symptoms. Therefore, take Tiapride for as long as your doctor has prescribed it, and if you experience any difficulty while taking Tiapride, please consult your doctor so that the dose may be gradually reduced.
