Generic

Flupentixol

Indications

Psychoses, Depression, whether it is accompanied by anxiety or not, is a common occurrence. Psychoses

Pharmacology

Flupentixol is a thioxanthene antipsychotic that blocks postsynaptic dopamine receptors in the CNS, inhibiting dopamine-mediated actions.

Dosage & Administration

Oral-

Depression with or without anxiety:

• Adult: Initially, 1 mg daily increased after 1 wk to 2 mg daily and then to a max of 3 mg daily, last dose should be given not later than 4 p.m. Doses >2 mg should be given in 2 divided doses. Discontinue treatment if there is no improvement within 1 wk of using the max dose.
• Elderly: Initially, 0.5 mg daily increased after 1 wk to 1 mg daily with the last dose given not later than 4 p.m. Max: 2 mg daily in 2 divided doses.

Psychoses:

• Adult: Initially, 3-9 mg bid, adjusted according to response. Max: 18 mg daily.
• Elderly: Initial dose: ¼ or ½ of the usual initial dose.

Intramuscular-

Psychoses:

• Adult: Initially, 20 mg (1 ml of a 2% oily solution) is given as test dose. After at least 7 days and depending on the response, subsequent doses of 20-40 mg may be given at intervals of 2-4 wk. Usual maintenance dose: 50 mg every 4 wk to 300 mg every 2 wk. Up to 400 mg wkly may be used in severe or resistant cases.
• Elderly: Initial dose: ¼ or ½ of the usual initial dose.

May be taken with or without food.

Interaction

May potentiate the adverse effects of drugs with antimuscarinic effects e.g. TCAs. Reduced efficacy of levodopa. Increases adverse extrapyramidal symptoms with dopamine antagonists (metoclopramide and prochlorperazine).

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity. Extremely excitable and overactive patients; mania; porphyria; coma; preexisting CNS depression; bone-marrow supression; phaeochromocytoma. Lactation.

Side Effects

Tremors, restlessness, tardive dyskinesia, sleeplessness, dry mouth, weight gain, sexual dysfunction, galactorrhoea, and menstrual irregularities are all symptoms of rigidity.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a potentially fatal condition (hyperthermia, hypertonicity of skeletal muscles, unconsciousness and autonomic nervous system instability).

Pregnancy & Lactation

Category C: Either animal studies have demonstrated negative effects on the foetus (teratogenic, embryocidal, or other) and no controlled studies in women are available, or studies in women and animals are not accessible. Only if the possible benefit outweighs the risk to the fetus should drugs be administered.

Precautions & Warnings

Patients with convulsive disorders, advanced hepatic, renal, CV, or respiratory disease, tasks demanding mental alertness, the aged (particularly those with dementia), and the debilitated; neuroleptics with sedative effects must be gradually removed; Urinary retention; prostatic hyperplasia; breast cancer, prolactin-dependent tumors; parkinsonism; myasthenia gravis; pregnancy; Keep out of direct sunlight.

Therapeutic Class

SSRIs & related anti-depressant drugs

Storage Conditions

Store below 25° C.

Pharmaceutical Name

Eskayef Pharmaceuticals Ltd.