Chlorpromazine: Uses, Interactions and Safety
Uses
Chlorpromazine is a phenothiazine antipsychotic used for schizophrenia and other psychoses. Turkish oral Largactil labeling also includes selected severe childhood behavioral disturbances above six years. UK uses additionally include intractable hiccups and nausea in terminal illness; indications should be matched to the actual country and product.
Administration
This summary concerns oral tablets. The prescriber adjusts treatment to response and tolerability. Do not change the regimen or stop abruptly without a treatment plan. Injectable chlorpromazine needs separate administration precautions.
Safety
Sedation, postural hypotension and movement disorders can interfere with daily activities. Regular review may include weight, glucose, blood counts and, when indicated, ECG and electrolyte checks. Tell the clinician about glaucoma, urinary retention, seizures, liver disease or past low white blood cells. Antipsychotics increase mortality in older people with dementia-related psychosis; chlorpromazine is not a routine treatment for dementia behavior.
Interactions
Citalopram and escitalopram are contraindicated combinations in the reviewed Turkish label. Other QT-prolonging drugs generally call for avoidance or specialist ECG monitoring rather than an automatic contraindication for every psychiatric pair. Sedatives and alcohol increase impairment. Antimuscarinic medicines can worsen constipation and urinary retention. Lithium may increase neurotoxicity. Antacids should be separated by more than two hours when possible, and glucose treatment may need review.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Pregnancy requires individualized assessment; maintaining maternal psychiatric stability is also important. Third-trimester exposure may produce movement or withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment.
Adverse effects
Reported effects include sleepiness, dry mouth, constipation, dizziness, raised prolactin and movement symptoms. Seek urgent help for fever with stiff muscles and confusion, fainting, severe palpitations, jaundice or fever with a sore throat.
Sources
The linked Turkish profile contains the medicine record and its documented interaction list.