Chlorpromazine

About chlorpromazine

Chlorpromazine belongs to a group of medicines called 'phenothiazines'. It is prescribed for a variety of conditions, many of which are unrelated.

It is prescribed for:

• The symptoms of schizofrenia and other similar mental health problems which affect thoughts, feelings and behaviours. These problems are called psychoses.

• The short-term treatment of severe anxiety, agitation, or sudden dangerous behaviour.

• Children with autismo.

• Sickness (nausea) associated with advanced or terminal illnesses.

• Hiccups which cannot be otherwise stopped.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking chlorpromazine it is important that your doctor knows:

• Se sei incinta o stai allattando.

• Se hai una malattia cardiaca o dei vasi sanguigni.

• Se hai problemi al fegato, ai reni, alla tiroide o alla prostata.

• Se hai problemi respiratori.

• If you have any of the following: epilepsy, diabetes, depression, Parkinson's disease, raised pressure in your eye (glaucoma), or myasthenia gravis, a condition which causes muscle weakness.

• Se hai mai avuto ingiallimento della pelle o del bianco degli occhi (ittero) o un disturbo del sangue.

• Se hai un tumore sulla ghiandola surrenale, una condizione chiamata feocromocitoma.

• Se hai mai avuto una reazione allergica a un medicinale.

• Se stai assumendo o utilizzando altri medicinali. Questo include qualsiasi medicinale che stai assumendo e che è disponibile per l'acquisto senza prescrizione, così come i medicinali a base di erbe e complementari.

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside your pack. It will give you more information about chlorpromazine, and will also provide a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Your dose will depend upon the reason you have been prescribed it, so take chlorpromazine exactly as your doctor tells you to. As a guide, it is often prescribed to be taken three or four times daily. Try to get into the habit of taking your doses at the same times each day, as this will help you to avoid missing any. You can take chlorpromazine before or after meals.

• Swallow the tablets whole with a drink of water - do not break or crush the tablets. If you have any difficulties swallowing the tablets, let your doctor know so that you can be prescribed liquid medicine instead.

• Se dimentichi di prendere una dose, prendila appena te ne ricordi, a meno che non sia quasi ora della dose successiva, in tal caso salta la dose dimenticata. Non prendere due dosi insieme per compensare una dose dimenticata.

• Keep your regular doctor's appointments so your progress can be checked. If you are taking chlorpromazine long-term, you may need to have some tests from time to time.

• If you drink alcohol, ask your doctor for advice about drinking while you are on chlorpromazine. Alcohol will increase the chance that you experience side-effects and is unlikely to be recommended for you.

• Chlorpromazine may cause your skin to become more sensitive to sunlight than normal. Use a sunscreen that protects against UVA light and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, especially in strong sunlight or until you know how your skin reacts. Do not use sunbeds.

• If you are having an operation, tell the person carrying out the treatment which medicines you are taking. This is important because chlorpromazine may interfere with the anaesthetic you receive.

• If you buy or take any 'over-the-counter' medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are suitable to take with chlorpromazine. Antacid remedies should not be taken at the same time, as they reduce the amount of chlorpromazine absorbed by your body.

• If you have diabetes check your blood glucose levels regularly, as chlorpromazine can affect the levels of sugar in your blood.

• Smoking may affect the amount of chlorpromazine in your body. Let your doctor know if you start or stop smoking while you are taking chlorpromazine.

• When chlorpromazine has been taken for a while, stopping treatment suddenly can cause problems. If you have been taking it regularly your doctor will probably want you to reduce your dose gradually if this becomes necessary.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with chlorpromazine. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Importante: se si manifestano sintomi come rigidità muscolare, temperatura molto alta, confusione, battito cardiaco accelerato e sudorazione, contattare immediatamente il medico. Questi potrebbero essere segni di una condizione rara ma grave nota come sindrome neurolettica maligna.

Se si verificano altri sintomi che ritieni possano essere dovuti a questo medicinale, parla con il tuo medico o farmacista.

• Tenere tutti i medicinali fuori dalla portata e dalla vista dei bambini.

• Conservare in un luogo fresco e asciutto, lontano da fonti di calore e luce diretta.

• For oral liquid medicines, read the manufacturer's information that comes with your medicine to see how long it lasts once it has been opened.