Fluphenazine: Characteristics And Side Effects Of This Drug
Fluphenazine is an antipsychotic drug indicated for people diagnosed with schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, etc. What it does is block dopamine D2 receptors.
Its particularity is that in addition to being administered orally (in tablet or pill format) it is also marketed in liquid or injectable format. That is why it is also indicated for patients who find it difficult to follow oral treatment.
Fluphenazine is an antipsychotic drug that blocks dopamine receptors decreasing the concentration of dopamine in the brain.
It is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia and paranoid psychoses, specifically as maintenance treatment in chronic patients who have difficulties following oral therapy (pills). Its action is prolonged.
Mechanism of action
The mechanism of action of fluphenazine is not completely known, although it is known that It is related to the blockade of dopamine D2 receptors of the limbic system and the basal ganglia. This decreases the concentration of dopamine in the brain (as generally occurs thanks to antipsychotics); This effect improves psychotic symptoms since it is known that in schizophrenia (and other psychotic disorders) dopamine is found in excessively high concentrations.
On the other hand, There is a relationship between the antipsychotic potency of the drug and the frequency of extrapyramidal effects (side effects involving movement disorders) with the occupation of dopamine D2 receptors.
Fluphenazine is indicated to treat schizophrenia and other types of psychotic disorders. It acts on delusional symptoms, hallucinations, hostility, disorganized behavior, etc. It is also indicated for bipolar disorder.
The main contraindications of fluphenazine are having a hypersensitivity to it, having a cortical brain injury, liver damage, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, having prostatic hypertrophy, taking drugs that depress the CNS (Central Nervous System) and being a child under 3 years old, among others.
In relation to pregnancy and breastfeeding, fluphenazine should only be taken (during pregnancy) if its indication is clear, and whether the benefits of taking it outweigh the potential risks. Regarding breastfeeding, taking it is not recommended, since it is unknown whether or not the drug is excreted into breast milk.
Tradename
fluphenazine It is generally marketed under the name “Prolixin” ; It comes in tablets or pills. There are five milligrams (5 mg) and 10 milligrams (10 mg). It is also marketed in other formats such as syrup (0.5 mg) and injectable solution (25 mg/ml) (the latter with the trade name “Fluphenazine decanoate”.
Other trade names that I could carry are: Modecate, Motival and Prolixin Depot.
Side effects
The most common adverse effects that fluphenazine can produce are: nightmares, insomnia, weakness or tiredness, upset stomach, anxiety or nervousness, dry mouth alterations in appetite or weight and skin that is more sensitive to the sun than usual.
Other adverse reactions that may occur are: nausea, loss of appetite, salivation, sweating, dry mouth, headache, constipation, photosensitivity, dystonia, dyskinesia, akathisia, hyperreflexia, tardive dyskinesia, drowsiness, lethargy and pseudoparkinsonism (motor alteration similar to Parkinson’s). but qualitatively different, due to a diffuse cortical alteration).
Fluphenazine has various routes of administration; It can be found in tablet format (pills) or in liquid (elixir and concentrates) That is why we have seen how it is especially indicated for patients who find it difficult to follow oral treatment (with pills). Specifically, fluphenazine in liquid format comes with a specially marked dropper to measure doses.
It is usually taken 2 to 3 times a day (as oral tablets); It can be taken with or without food. Normally the maximum dose is 20 mg per day in therapeutic treatment In more severe patients, however, a dose of up to 40 mg/day is recommended. However, the doctor may gradually reduce the dose throughout the treatment, if serious symptoms or adverse reactions to the drug do not occur.
On the other hand, and as is the case with all drugs, You should go to a specialist professional to resolve any questions regarding its intake, dosage and contraindications.
Dosage, frequency and duration
As we see, these treatment parameters will depend on the patient’s pathology, age, health status, etc. However, in general the recommended dose in most cases (with due nuances) is 0.5 ml per injection, in patients using fluphenazine for the first time (it will be administered in the buttock by deep injection); and 0.25 ml daily for 3 weeks in patients over 60 years of age.
Use of antipsychotics
Antipsychotics such as fluphenazine (as well as other types of psychotropic drugs), in reality they do not “cure” the pathology for which they are administered Rather, they relieve the symptoms it produces, improving the patient’s quality of life.
Ideally, they should be prescribed in addition to another type of therapy, this time psychological. On the other hand, the involvement of the patient’s family is also essential for their evolution, especially in disorders such as schizophrenia, where all areas of the patient’s life are usually seriously affected.
Other data: relationship with suicide
A study by De Alarcón and Carney (1969) showed a relationship between fluphenazine and suicide; found that 16 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and treated with fluphenazine (specifically, fluphenazine enanthate), had subsequently developed depression; Furthermore, 5 of them committed suicide.
The authors of the study attributed the events to a possible depressant effect of fluphenazine.
