Pipotiazine: uses and side effects of this drug
The antipsychotic medication, along with psychotherapy, has been helping people with some type of mental disorder to lead a normal life as long as possible.
One of these antipsychotics is pipotiazine . This drug is used in many mental illnesses, but also has a lot of side effects. Of all this and some points we will talk throughout this article.
- Related article: "Types of psychotropic drugs: uses and side effects"
What is pipotiazine?
Pipotiazine is an antipsychotic or neuroleptic of the group of phenothiazines . Like the other elements of this group, pipotiazine have a depressant effect on the central nervous system (CNS).
By blocking dopamine receptors, this drug transforms behavior, prevents overstimulation and promotes the control of certain mental illnesses classified as psychotic.
The patient begins to notice the effects of pipotiazine between 48 and 72 after the first administration and reaches its maximum effect potential in a week.
In addition, owns also owns antiemetic, anticholinergic, alpha-adrenergic and sedative blocking agents ; although these are much smaller compared to other phenothiazine drugs.
- You may be interested: "Types of antipsychotics (or neuroleptics)"
In what disorders is it used?
As mentioned above, pipotiazine is an antipsychotic, so its use is restricted, in most cases, to psychiatric disorders such as chronic psychosis; long-lasting schizophrenia , productive or deficit; chronic hallucinatory psychosis and delirious states.
Another psychological condition for which can be useful is in psychotic anxiety . However, this treatment should never exceed twelve weeks and will always be administered as an alternative to the first-line drugs used for this condition.
However, it is also used in certain patients for the control of nausea and vomiting or as adjuvant treatment of tetanus and acute intermittent porphyria.
Finally, pipotiazine may be effective for the treatment of children with serious behavioral problems such as hyperexcitability.
- Related article: "The 6 types of schizophrenia and associated characteristics"
How is it administered?
The use of this drug must always be indicated by the doctor. Habitually, Pipotiazine is usually given intramuscularly , in doses of between 25 and 200 mg depending on the symptoms of the patient. These doses are given by a health professional once every four weeks and have the advantage that their action is much faster than orally.
However, in the cases in which the doctor believes necessary, this may be administered orally in a single daily dose of between 10 and 20 mg. The patient should never take more pipotiazine than recommended. That is, it must not increase or decrease the dose, nor consume it on more occasions than indicated, since this can pose serious problems for the health of the person.
What are the side effects?
Pipotiazine is distinguished by frequent adverse effects . However, in most cases, these are quite tolerable and not very serious. These consequences in the body tend to mainly affect the central nervous system and can be grouped into very frequent, frequent, occasional and rare side effects.
In addition, in the event that the patient experiences incidents with fever greater than 41º, severe muscular tension or respiratory problems, the treatment should be suspended immediately.
Very frequent effects
Those that appear in more than 25% of cases. These are:
- Drowsiness .
- Sedation.
Frequent
They appear in between 10 and 25% of patients. Are:
- Blurry vision.
- Urinary problems .
- Constipation.
- Dry mouth.
Occasional
Only between 1 and 9% of the occasions that the patient consumes pipotiazine are given. These occasional effects are distinguished because there is an increased risk of onset only at the beginning of treatment. Among them are:
- Extrapyramidal symptoms : parkinsonism, akathisia and dystonia.
- Orthostatic hypotension.
- Hypertension .
- Tachycardia or bradycardia.
- Transient leukopenia.
- Urticaria .
- Maculopapular or acneiform eruptions.
- Angioedema
- Insomnia .
- Vertigos
- Paralytic ileus.
Rare side effects
These occur less than 1% of the time. They tend to appear between the fourth and the tenth week after the start of treatment or until months and years later.
- Agranulocytosis
- Late dyskinesia .
- Neuroleptic malignant syndrome.Which can be fatal between 15 and 20% of the time and is manifested by fever, muscle stiffness, akinesia, respiratory problems, photosensitivity and convulsions among many other symptoms.
What precautions should be taken into account?
Due to the potency of the effects of this drug and the possible side effects that this can cause a numerous and diverse systems of the organism, the patient must inform his doctor of any special health condition in which he is.
Also, there are numerous drugs such as anticholinergics or antidiabetics, among many others, that they can interfere with each other and cause serious adverse reactions in the person who consumes this medication, so you have to inform the doctor.
Regarding alcohol consumption, research conducted with other phenothiazine antipsychotics have revealed an enhancement of toxicity . Which leads to severe depression of the central nervous system and multiple adverse extrapyramidal effects.
Pregnancy and lactation
Although animal studies have not revealed adverse teratogenic effects; that is to say, that the administration of pipotiazine in pregnant females has not caused malformations in the fetus. It is known that phenothiazines can cross the placenta , so it is recommended only occasional use and in very low doses in pregnant women.
The administration of this drug in pregnant women is only allowed in those cases in which there are no safer therapeutic alternatives and reducing the dose as the time of delivery approaches.
As for breastfeeding, it is unknown if pipotiazine can be excreted with breast milk. However, studies with other phenothiazines establish that yes but that the effects on the baby are still unknown.
However, since these effects can be considerable the administration of this drug in nursing mothers is not recommended .
Children and the elderly
Both the minor patients and those of the third age in which it is necessary the administration of pipotiazina, they are much more susceptible to suffering unwanted side effects . Therefore, it is recommended that the health status of these be monitored closely.
Driving and handling of machines
Pipotiazine can cause alterations in the reaction time so that It is recommended not to drive or operate any type of machinery until the person knows exactly how this medication affects him.
