Pimozide: Uses, indications and precautions when using

This is an automatically translated article.

Pimozide is used to control symptoms caused by Tourette's disease. Drugs that reduce the effects of dopamine in the brain. Most of the drug is made in the form of tablets, oval with a weight of 2mg.

1. What are the effects of Pimozide?

Pimozide is used to reduce the involuntary body actions or spontaneous sounds and sounds (in patients screaming due to neurological disorders) caused by Tourette's syndrome. The mechanism of action of Pimozide is to reduce the activity of Dopamine present in the brain. In mild cases, it is not recommended to use this drug. It should only be used if symptoms cause serious problems in daily living and other medications or treatments have not been effective.

2. How to use Pimozide

Pimozide is taken orally, with or without food. Dosage should be taken once daily at bedtime or as directed by your doctor.
The dose of the drug is calculated based on the health status and the body's ability to respond during treatment. Using a high dose of the drug in the first place can cause a side effect (tremor), so your doctor will direct you to take it from a low dose to a higher dose.
You should follow the doctor's instructions, do not increase the dose or use the drug more often than prescribed. Doing this will not make your condition worse, but it will also increase your risk of heart rhythm problems.
Avoid eating grapefruit or using grapefruit products while using this medicine unless your doctor directs you otherwise. Components in grapefruit increase the concentration of the drug in your blood.
Use the medicine on a regular basis as directed by the doctor to achieve high efficiency during the treatment. The best way to make sure you don't miss any dose is to set a reminder on your phone at the same time every day.
If your condition persists or worsens, go to a medical facility immediately for help.

3. Side effects

While using Pimozide, you may experience unwanted side effects such as:
Drowsiness Dizziness Dizziness Dry mouth Blurred vision Fatigue or weakness Muscle or nervous system problems (symptoms) extrapyramidal (EPS). To work around this, your doctor may prescribe another medication to reduce these side effects. Therefore, seek medical care immediately if the following symptoms are present: Muscle stiffness Severe muscle spasms or cramps (such as twisting neck, arching back, rolling eyes) Restlessness or inability to move , shaking (tremor), slow or creaking steps Drooling or difficulty swallowing Mask-like expression Tardive dyskinesia. Patients may experience involuntary or repetitive muscle movements such as: Biting or puckering lips, tongue thrusting, chewing, finger or toe movements Increases the activity of prolactin - a substance made by the body In fact, this is a very rare case. It will affect both sexes in different ways: For women, patients may experience breast side effects, or have difficulty conceiving. For men, the patient may experience decreased sex drive, inability to produce sperm, or enlarged breasts. Rare side effects: signs of infection (such as fever, persistent sore throat), severe dizziness, fainting, slow heart rate, seizures. Serious allergic reaction. Signs of an allergic reaction include: red, itchy or red rash (especially in the face, tongue or throat), dizziness, trouble breathing. Symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS): fever, muscle stiffness or pain or tenderness or weakness, severe fatigue, severe confusion, sweating, fast or irregular heartbeat, dark urine color, signs of kidney problems (such as change in the amount of urine). Once your doctor directs you to use this medicine, it means that they have judged that the benefits of the drug outweigh the side effects it causes. In some cases, the drug was used but no side effects were observed.

4. Precautions

To avoid the side effects that the drug brings, before using the drug you need to:
Tell your doctor about any allergies you may have (drug ingredients, food, pollen, etc.) ....). There are some inactive substances in the composition of the medicine, which can cause serious side effects or allergic reactions. Tell your doctor or pharmacist your and your family's medical history, especially of: blood problems (low white blood cell count), eye problems (glaucoma), dementia, depression, heart problems (slow or fast heartbeat, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure), poor bowel movements (such as chronic constipation, blockage), kidney disease, liver disease, disorders brain or tumor or injury, drug or alcohol or stimulant abuse, breast cancer, Parkinson's disease, seizure disorder, difficulty urinating (the patient has prostate problems). Pimozide may make you dizzy or drowsy or cause changes in vision. With subjects using alcohol and marijuana, these symptoms will appear more severe. Do not drive or do any work requiring high concentration immediately after taking this medicine. During the use of the drug, the patient should not drink alcoholic beverages. Your doctor may order an electrocardiogram (ECG) and laboratory tests before you start taking this medicine. The aim is to find out if you are at risk for heart rhythm problems from pimozide. During the use of Pimozide may cause an effect on the heart rate (QT prolongation). This symptom is very rarely fatal, but can make the patient faint, dizzy. Patients with certain medical conditions or who are taking other drugs that prolong the QT interval are the cause of this symptom. Therefore, before using pimozide tell your doctor a list of medicines you are taking and any of the following conditions: heart conditions (heart failure or bradycardia, QT prolongation in ECG). ) or a family member with heart disease. Low blood potassium and magnesium levels also increase the risk of QT prolongation. Side effects can occur when you use them in combination with certain drugs such as stimulants (methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine). That is why it is very important to provide a list of the medications you are taking to your doctor. To reduce seizures you may be asked to use a low to high dose. Older adults are more sensitive to the ingredients of the drug, which increases the risk of side effects, especially drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness and QT prolongation. For pregnant women, doctors recommend using the drug only when absolutely necessary. Otherwise, babies born to mothers using the drug during the third trimester of pregnancy are likely to have symptoms including muscle stiffness or tremors, sleepiness, feeding or breathing difficulties, or constant fussiness. If these symptoms appear within the first month after birth, take your baby to a medical facility right away for help. Most of the patients who were instructed to use this drug were in serious condition. So if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, discuss carefully with your doctor the benefits and risks of using this medicine during pregnancy.

5. Interaction

Once a drug interaction occurs, it changes the way the drug works, thereby increasing the risk of side effects. Therefore, do not arbitrarily start, stop or change the dose of any drug in the prescription that the doctor provides.
Some products have a high potential for drug interactions such as:
Anticholinergics Antispasmodics (such as atropine, dicyclomine, scopolamine) Drugs that stimulate the production of dopamine in the body (such as bromocriptine, cabergoline, levodopa, pergolide , ropinirole) Other medicines that affect the elimination of pimozide from your body, eg:
Aprepitant azole antifungals (such as ketoconazole, itraconazole) Delavirdine HIV protease inhibitors (such as ritonavir, nelfinavir) Resistant macrolides antibiotics (such as azithromycin, erythromycin), nefazodone SSRI antidepressants (such as fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline) In addition patients should avoid using these drugs: amiodarone, cisapride, citalopram or escitalopram, chlorpromazine, dofetilide, procainamide, quinidine, ranolazine, sotalol, macrolide antibiotics (such as clarithromycin, erythromycin). These drugs worsen your QT prolongation.

6. Overdose

When the drug is used more than prescribed, an overdose will occur with symptoms such as:
Syncope Breathing difficulty Breathing slow, shallow or irregular breathing Coma unconscious

7. Storage and preservation

The ideal temperature for storing the drug is room temperature. Keep the medicine in a dry place, away from direct sunlight. Absolutely do not leave the medicine in the bathroom or in a place with high humidity, this can make the medicine moldy and affect the quality of the medicine. In case of expired or unused medicine, please dispose of the medicine in the right place to ensure environmental hygiene.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: webmd.com