Opsonil

Schizophrenia, Psychoses, Anxiety and Agitation

Oral-

• Adult: Initially 25 mg three times daily or 75 mg at bedtime increasing by daily amounts of 25 mg to an effective maintenance dose. This is usually in the range 75 to 300 mg daily, but some patients may require up to 1 g daily.
• Children: Under 1 Year: Do not use unless need is life saving. 1-5 Years: 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight every 4 - 6 hours to a maximum recommended dose of 40 mg daily. 6-12 Years: A third to half the adult dose, to a maximum recommended dose of 75 mg daily.
• Elderly: Start with a third to a half the usual adult dose with a more gradual increase in dosage.

Intramuscular-

• Adult: For acute relief of symptoms 25 - 50 mg every 6-8 hours.
• Children: Under 1 Year: Do not use unless need is life saving. 1-5 Years: 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight every 6 - 8 hours. Dosage is not advised to exceed 40 mg daily. 6-12 Years: 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight every 6-8 hours. Not to exceed 75 mg daily.
• Elderly: Doses in the lower range for adults should be sufficient to control symptoms, i.e. 25 mg, 8 hourly.

Intractable Hiccup (Adult)

• Oral: 25-50 mg three or four times daily.
• Intramuscular: 25-50 mg every 6-8 hours.
• Intravenous Infusion: If other routes of administration are inappropriate, give 25-50 mg in 500-1000 ml sodium chloride by slow intravenous infusion every 6-8 hours.

Nausea and Vomiting of Terminal Illness

Oral-

• Adults: 10-25 mg every 4-6 hours.
• Children: Under 1 Year: Do not use unless need is life saving. 1-5 Years: 0.5 mg/kg every 4 - 6 hours. Maximum daily dosage should not exceed 40 mg. 6-12 Years: 0.5 mg/kg every 4 - 6 hours. Maximum daily dosage should not exceed 75 mg.
• Elderly: Initially a third to half the adult dose. The physician should then use their clinical judgement to obtain control.

Intramuscular-

• Adults: 25 mg initially, then 25 - 50 mg every 3 - 4 hours until vomiting stops, then drug to be taken orally.
• Children: Under 1 Year: Do not use unless need is life saving. 1-5 Years: 0.5 mg/kg 6 - 8 hourly. It is advised that maximum daily dosage should not exceed 40 mg. 6-12 Years: 0.5 mg/kg every 6 - 8 hours. It is advised that maximum daily dosage should not exceed 75 mg.

The following adverse effects have been reported for chlorpromazine or phenothiazines in
general.

• Cardiovascular: Postural hypotension, ECG Changes.
• Dermatological
• Contact dermatitis, photosensitivity, urticarial, maculopapular, petechial or oedematous reactions.
• Endocrine: Elevated prolactin levels, impaired thermoregulation, hyperglycaemia, other hypothalamic effects.
• Gastrointestinal: Dry mouth, constipation.
• Immunological: Raised ANA titre, positive SLE cells.
• Genitourinary: Urinary retention.
• Haematological: Leucopenia, agranulocytosis, eosinophilia, hemolytic anaemia, aplastic anaemia, thrombocytopenic purpura and pancytopenia have been reported.

Chlorpromazine is a neuroleptic that acts by blocking the postsynaptic dopamine receptor in the mesolimbic dopaminergic system and inhibits the release of hypothalamic and hypophyseal hormones. It has antiemetic, serotonin-blocking, and weak antihistaminic properties and slight ganglion-blocking activity.

Chlorpromazine generally should not be used in epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, hypoparathyroidism, myasthenia gravis and prostatic hypertrophy.

Anti-emetic drugs, Phenothiazine drugs, Phenothiazine related drugs