prochlorperazine 5 MG Oral Tablet

INDICATIONS AND USAGE For control of severe nausea and vomiting. For the treatment of schizophrenia. Prochlorperazine maleate tablets are effective for the short-term treatment of generalized non-psychotic anxiety. However, prochlorperazine maleate tablets are not the first drug to be used in therapy for most patients with non-psychotic anxiety, because certain risks associated with its use are not shared by common alternative treatments (e.g., benzodiazepines). When used in the treatment of non-psychotic anxiety, prochlorperazine maleate tablets should not be administered at doses of more than 20 mg per day or for longer than 12 weeks, because the use of prochlorperazine maleate tablets at higher doses or for longer intervals may cause persistent tardive dyskinesia that may prove irreversible (see WARNINGS ). The effectiveness of prochlorperazine maleate tablets as treatment for non-psychotic anxiety was established in 4-week clinical studies of outpatients with generalized anxiety disorder. This evidence does not predict that prochlorperazine maleate tablets will be useful in patients with other non-psychotic conditions in which anxiety, or signs that mimic anxiety, are found (e.g., physical illness, organic mental conditions, agitated depression, character pathologies, etc.). Prochlorperazine maleate tablets have not been shown effective in the management of behavioral complications in patients with mental retardation.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION NOTE ON INJECTION: For intramuscular administration, inject deeply into the upper, outer quadrant of the buttock. Subcutaneous administration is not advisable because of local irritation. Stability This solution should be protected from light. Slight yellowish discoloration will not alter potency. If markedly discolored, solution should be discarded. Compatibility It is recommended that prochlorperazine edisylate injection not be mixed with other agents in the syringe. Adults (For children's dosage and administration, see below.) Dosage should be increased more gradually in debilitated or emaciated patients. ELDERLY PATIENTS In general, dosages in the lower range are sufficient for most elderly patients. Since they appear to be more susceptible to hypotension and neuromuscular reactions, such patients should be observed closely. Dosage should be tailored to the individual, response carefully monitored, and dosage adjusted accordingly. Dosage should be increased more gradually in elderly patients. TO CONTROL SEVERE NAUSEA AND VOMITING Adjust dosage to the response of the individual. Begin with lowest recommended dosage. Intramuscular Dosage Initially 5 mg to 10 mg (1 to 2 mL) injected deeply into the upper, outer quadrant of the buttock. If necessary, repeat every 3 or 4 hours. Total intramuscular dosage should not exceed 40 mg per day. Intravenous Dosage 2.5 mg to 10 mg (0.5 to 2 mL) by slow intravenous injection or infusion at a rate not to exceed 5 mg per minute. Prochlorperazine edisylate injection may be administered either undiluted or diluted in isotonic solution. A single dose of the drug should not exceed 10 mg; total intravenous dosage should not exceed 40 mg per day. When administered intravenous, do not use bolus injection. Hypotension is a possibility if the drug is given by intravenous injection or infusion. Subcutaneous administration is not advisable because of local irritation. ADULT SURGERY (FOR SEVERE NAUSEA AND VOMITING) Total parenteral dosage should not exceed 40 mg per day. Hypotension is a possibility if the drug is given by intravenous injection or infusion. Intramuscular Dosage 5 mg to 10 mg (1 to 2 mL) 1 to 2 hours before induction of anesthesia (repeat once in 30 minutes, if necessary), or to control acute symptoms during and after surgery (repeat once if necessary). Intravenous Dosage 5 mg to 10 mg (1 to 2 mL) as a slow intravenous injection or infusion 15 to 30 minutes before induction of anesthesia, or to control acute symptoms during or after surgery. Repeat once if necessary. Prochlorperazine may be administered either undiluted or diluted in isotonic solution, but a single dose of the drug should not exceed 10 mg. The rate of administration should not exceed 5 mg per minute. When administered intravenous, do not use bolus injection. IN ADULT PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS Adjust dosage to the response of the individual and according to the severity of the condition. Begin with the lowest recommended dose. Although response ordinarily is seen within a day or two, longer treatment is usually required before maximal improvement is seen. Intramuscular Dosage For immediate control of adult schizophrenic patients with severe symptomatology, inject an initial dose of 10 mg to 20 mg (2 to 4 mL) deeply into the upper, outer quadrant of the buttock. Many patients respond shortly after the first injection. If necessary, however, repeat the initial dose every 2 to 4 hours (or, in resistant cases, every hour) to gain control of the patient. More than 3 or 4 doses are seldom necessary. After control is achieved, switch patient to an oral form of the drug at the same dosage level or higher. If, in rare cases, parenteral therapy is needed for a prolonged period, give 10 mg to 20 mg (2 to 4 mL) every 4 to 6 hours. Pain and irritation at the site of injection have seldom occurred. Subcutaneous administration is not advisable because of local irritation. Children DO NOT USE IN PEDIATRIC SURGERY Children seem more prone to develop extrapyramidal reactions, even on moderate doses. Therefore, use lowest effective dosage. Tell parents not to exceed prescribed dosage, since the possibility of adverse reactions increases as dosage rises. Occasionally the patient may react to the drug with signs of restlessness and excitement; if this occurs, do not administer additional doses. Take particular precaution in administering the drug to children with acute illnesses or dehydration (see under PRECAUTIONS and Dystonia ). SEVERE NAUSEA AND VOMITING IN CHILDREN Prochlorperazine should not be used in pediatric patients under 20 pounds in weight or two years of age. It should not be used in conditions for which children's dosages have not been established. Dosage and frequency of administration should be adjusted according to the severity of the symptoms and the response of the patient. The duration of activity following intramuscular administration may last up to 12 hours. Subsequent doses may be given by the same route if necessary. Intramuscular Dosage Calculate each dose on the basis of 0.06 mg of the drug per lb of body weight; give by deep intramuscular injection. Control is usually obtained with one dose. CHILDREN WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA Intramuscular Dosage For ages under 12, calculate each dose on the basis of 0.06 mg of prochlorperazine per lb of body weight; give by deep intramuscular injection. Control is usually obtained with one dose. After control is achieved, switch the patient to an oral form of the drug at the same dosage level or higher. Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.

WARNINGS Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. Prochlorperazine maleate is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis (see BOXED WARNING ). The extrapyramidal symptoms which can occur secondary to prochlorperazine may be confused with the central nervous system signs of an undiagnosed primary disease responsible for the vomiting, e.g., Reye’s syndrome or other encephalopathy. The use of prochlorperazine and other potential hepatotoxins should be avoided in children and adolescents whose signs and symptoms suggest Reye’s syndrome. Tardive Dyskinesia Tardive dyskinesia, a syndrome consisting of potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements, may develop in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs. Although the prevalence of the syndrome appears to be highest among the elderly, especially elderly women, it is impossible to rely upon prevalence estimates to predict, at the inception of antipsychotic drug treatment, which patients are likely to develop the syndrome. Whether antipsychotic drug products differ in their potential to cause tardive dyskinesia is unknown. Both the risk of developing the syndrome and the likelihood that it will become irreversible are believed to increase as the duration of treatment and the total cumulative dose of antipsychotic drugs administered to the patient increase. However, the syndrome can develop, although much less commonly, after relatively brief treatment periods at low doses. There is no known treatment for established cases of tardive dyskinesia, although the syndrome may remit, partially or completely, if antipsychotic drug treatment is withdrawn. Antipsychotic drug treatment itself, however, may suppress (or partially suppress) the signs and symptoms of the syndrome and thereby may possibly mask the underlying disease process. The effect that symptomatic suppression has upon the long-term course of the syndrome is unknown. Given these considerations, antipsychotics drugs should be prescribed in a manner that is most likely to minimize the occurrence of tardive dyskinesia especially in the elderly. Chronic antipsychotic treatment should generally be reserved for patients who suffer from a chronic illness that, 1) is known to respond to antipsychotic drugs, and 2) for whom alternative, equally effective, but potentially less harmful treatments are not available or appropriate. In patients who do require chronic treatment, the smallest dose and the shortest duration of treatment producing a satisfactory clinical response should be sought. The need for continued treatment should be reassessed periodically. If signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear in a patient on antipsychotics, drug discontinuation should be considered. However, some patients may require treatment despite the presence of the syndrome. For further information about the description of tardive dyskinesia and its clinical detection, please refer to the sections on PRECAUTIONS and ADVERSE REACTIONS . Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS): A potentially fatal syndrome complex sometimes referred to as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) has been reported in association with antipsychotic drugs. Clinical manifestations of NMS are hyperpyrexia, muscle rigidity, altered mental status and evidence of autonomic instability (irregular pulse or blood pressure, tachycardia, diaphoresis and cardiac dysrhythmias). The diagnostic evaluation of patients with this syndrome is complicated. In arriving at a diagnosis, it is important to identify cases where the clinical presentation includes both serious medical illness (e.g., pneumonia, systemic infection, etc.) and untreated or inadequately treated extrapyramidal signs and symptoms (EPS). Other important considerations in the differential diagnosis include central anticholinergic toxicity, heat stroke, drug fever and primary central nervous system (CNS) pathology. The management of NMS should include 1) immediate discontinuation of antipsychotic drugs and other drugs not essential to concurrent therapy, 2) intensive symptomatic treatment and medical monitoring, and 3) treatment of any concomitant serious medical problems for which specific treatments are available. There is no general agreement about specific pharmacological treatment regimens for uncomplicated NMS. If a patient requires antipsychotic drug treatment after recovery from NMS, the potential reintroduction of drug therapy should be carefully considered. The patient should be carefully monitored, since recurrences of NMS have been reported. An encephalopathic syndrome (characterized by weakness, lethargy, fever, tremulousness and confusion, extrapyramidal symptoms, leukocytosis, elevated serum enzymes, BUN and FBS) has occurred in a few patients treated with lithium plus an antipsychotic. In some instances, the syndrome was followed by irreversible brain damage. Because of a possible causal relationship between these events and the concomitant administration of lithium and antipsychotics, patients receiving such combined therapy should be monitored closely for early evidence of neurologic toxicity and treatment discontinued promptly if such signs appear. This encephalopathic syndrome may be similar to or the same as neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Patients with bone marrow depression or who have previously demonstrated a hypersensitivity reaction (e.g., blood dyscrasias, jaundice) with a phenothiazine should not receive any phenothiazine, including prochlorperazine, unless in the judgment of the physician the potential benefits of treatment outweigh the possible hazards. Prochlorperazine may impair mental and/or physical abilities, especially during the first few days of therapy. Therefore, caution patients about activities requiring alertness (e.g., operating vehicles or machinery). Phenothiazines may intensify or prolong the action of central nervous system depressants (e.g., alcohol, anesthetics, narcotics). Falls: Prochlorperazine maleate tablets may cause somnolence, postural hypotension, motor and sensory instability, which may lead to falls and, consequently, fractures or other injuries. For patients with diseases, conditions, or medications that could exacerbate these effects, complete fall risk assessments when initiating antipsychotic treatment and recurrently for patients on long-term antipsychotic therapy. Usage in Pregnancy: Safety for the use of prochlorperazine during pregnancy has not been established. Therefore, prochlorperazine is not recommended for use in pregnant patients except in cases of severe nausea and vomiting that are so serious and intractable that, in the judgment of the physician, drug intervention is required, and potential benefits outweigh possible hazards. There have been reported instances of prolonged jaundice, extrapyramidal signs, hyperreflexia or hyporeflexia in newborn infants whose mothers received phenothiazines. Non-teratogenic Effects: Neonates exposed to antipsychotic drugs, during third trimester of pregnancy are at risk for extrapyramidal and/or withdrawal symptoms following delivery. There have been reports of agitation, hypertonia, hypotonia, tremor, somnolence, respiratory distress and feeding disorder in these neonates. These complications have varied in severity; while in some cases symptoms have been self-limited, in other cases neonates have required intensive care unit support and prolonged hospitalization. Prochlorperazine maleate should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Nursing Mothers: There is evidence that phenothiazines are excreted in the breast milk of nursing mothers. Caution should be exercised when prochlorperazine is administered to a nursing woman. Tardive Dyskinesia Tardive dyskinesia, a syndrome consisting of pot

CONTRAINDICATIONS Do not use in patients with known hypersensitivity to phenothiazines. Do not use in comatose states or in the presence of large amounts of central nervous system depressants (alcohol, barbiturates, narcotics, etc.). Do not use in pediatric surgery. Do not use in pediatric patients under 2 years of age or under 20 lbs. Do not use in children for conditions for which dosage has not been established.

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Prochlorperazine is a propylpiperazine derivative of phenothiazine. Like other phenothiazines, it exerts an antiemetic effect through a depressant action on the chemoreceptor trigger zone. It also has a clinically useful antipsychotic effect. Following intramuscular administration of prochlorperazine edisylate, the drug has an onset of action within ten to twenty minutes and a duration of action of three to four hours.