Zuclopenthixol

• Treatment of psychiatric disorders (psychoses), especially schizophrenia
• Schizophrenia is a long-standing mental disease affecting a person's feelings, thoughts and behaviour. The affected person may start believing unreal things to be real (hallucinations), not accepting reality (delusion), become uncaring and appears to have lost interest in life

When should one not use Zuclopenthixol

• In patients with allergy to Zuclopenthixol or any components of the medicine
• Low blood pressure or decreased consciousness due to alcohol or any medications
• Coma

Common side effects of this drug are:

• Fast or slow and irregular heartbeats
• Feeling drowsy or dizzy, spinning of the head, fainting, headache, migraine
• Tingling or numbness of hands and legs, tremors, loss of balance or co-ordinated muscle movements (including eyes, mouth, tongue), poor memory or concentration, change in the way you walk, speech problems, abnormal reflexes, muscle (jaw and neck) and whole-body stiffness
• Reduction in blood platelets (increased risk of clotting)
• Breathing difficulty, blocked nose
• Fits, vision problems, dry mouth, stomach pain, indigestion, vomiting, wind in the stomach, loose motions, constipation, increased or decreased urination, increased sweating
• Itching, skin rashes, skin color changes, easy bruising, red and warm skin
• Poor control of blood sugars and cholesterol
• Weight loss or gain, generalized weakness, tiredness, fever or reduced body temperature, depression, anxiety, nervousness, sleeplessness, abnormal dreams, and nightmares, lacking interest
• Enlarged liver, altered liver function tests
• Unexpected breast milk secretion, menstrual problems, dry vagina, male breast enlargement, prolonged erection or ejaculation issues, changes in sex drive
• Swelling, pain or redness in the legs, due to blood clots (uncommon, but serious)
• High fever, confusion, muscle stiffness, sweating, and altered consciousness (neuroleptic malignant syndrome), uncontrolled movements, especially of the mouth, lips, and tongue (tardive dyskinesia), continuous, slow, irregular, jerky movements, muscle stiffness and contractions (extrapyramidal symptoms), jaundice or yellowing of the skin (serious, but rare)
• Severe allergic reactions like swelling of face, lips and throat with swallowing and breathing difficulty with or without rashes, itching, skin blisters (rare, but serious)

Other General Warnings

• Personal or family history of irregular heartbeats (slow heart rates), low potassium or magnesium levels and recent heart attacks associated with swelling of hands and legs, and breathing difficulty
• Respiratory diseases causing breathing problems (asthma, bronchitis)
• History of or at risk for seizures (fits)
• Conditions that affect the muscles (myasthenia gravis, Parkinson’s disease, etc.)
• Enlarged prostate
• Cancer of the adrenal gland situated above the kidney causing life threatening high blood pressure (phaeochromocytoma)
• Increased eye pressure (glaucoma)
• Liver, kidney or thyroid problems
• Risk factors for brain stroke, such as high blood pressure, smoking, etc.
• High blood sugars (diabetes), family or personal history of blood clots and tendency for clot formations
• History of using medicines to treat psychosis (Olanzapine, Quetiapine, Risperidone, Aripiprazole, etc.)

How Does It Work?

Interactions with other medicines

• Avoid:
• Anti-psychotic medications (Olanzapine, Quetiapine, Risperidone, Aripiprazole, etc.)
• Medicines that cause irregular heartbeats (Amiodarone, Quinidine, Sotalol, Dofetilide, Lithium, Moxifloxacin, Erythromycin, Cisapride)
• Use with caution:
• A specific class of anti-depressants (Amitriptyline, Imipramine, Doxepin, etc.)
• Blood-thinning agents (Warfarin)
• Certain cough, cold and allergy medications (Diphenhydramine, Benztropine, etc.)
• Metoclopromide (increases stomach and intestinal movements and reduces feelings of nausea, vomiting)
• Piperazine (deworming agent), Levodopa (Parkinson's disease – age related brain damage), Sibutramine (lowers hunger), Digoxin (for heart rhythm abnormalities)
• Medicines that suppress the immune response (Corticosteroids - Prednisolone, Dexamethasone, etc.) that lower the blood pressure (Hydralazine, Doxazosin, Propranolol, Methyldopa, Clonidine, Guanethidine)
• Anti-seizure and anti-diabetic medications
• Inform the doctor about all the medicines you are using (including prescription, non-prescription, and herbal medicines, diet supplements, vitamins, etc.)

Interactions with food items

Overdose

Missed a Dose

• Take the missed dose as early as you remember. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule
• Do not take a higher or a double dose to make up for the missed dose
• Ideally, there should be a 6-8 hour gap between two dosages