Chlorpromazine Side Effects

Serious Side Effects of Chlorpromazine

• Symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome include acute fever, sweating, stiffness of the muscles, confusion, and irregular heartbeat.
• Signs of a severe allergic reaction to chlorpromazine can include hives or rashes, swelling, and having a difficult time breathing or swallowing.
• Stop taking chlorpromazine and get medical attention if you lose control of your facial muscles or tongue, begin to drool, your arms or legs start twitching, you experience tremors, or experience a seizure.
• Call your doctor if you experience joint pin, swelling of the glands, unexplained muscle aches, and pain in the chest or abdomen.
• If you begin to feel agitated, restless, or jittery, stop taking chlorpromazine and talk to your doctor.
• Call your doctor immediately if you have any changes to your vision, including tunnel vision, increased difficulty seeing in the dark, and increased light sensitivity.
• If you experience unexplained bleeding or bruises, hives, itchiness, yellowed skin or eyes, or patchy colored skin, call your doctor as soon as possible.

Common Side Effects of Chlorpromazine

• Avoid sunlight while taking Chlorpromazine. It may make your skin more sensitive to the sun and increase your chances of getting sunburned.
• Avoid excessive heat and intense exercise. This medication may make it more difficult for your body to cool itself down.
• Toward the beginning of your Chlorpromazine treatment, you may easily become dizzy, lightheaded, or faint.  Also, your pulse may quicken easier. Sit up slowly and rest before standing to avoid this.
• Women may experience breast enlargement, breast discharge, and a change of menstrual periods.
• Taking Chlorpromazine may cause you to have difficulty urinating, make you constipated, and decrease your sexual ability.
• While taking Chlorpromazine , you may experience an increase in appetite or weight gain, dry mouth or a stuffy nose.
• This medication may lower your blood pressure, and decrease your heart rate or breathing.

Warnings & Recalls for Chlorpromazine

Chlorpromazine Black Box Warning

• Chlorpromazine is not FDA approved to treat dementia in elderly patients. There is an increased chance of death when antipsychotics are given to these patients.

Chlorpromazine Warnings

• Tell your doctor about all the medications, vitamins, and supplements you are currently taking or plan to take while you are on Chlorpromazine. Your doctor may change or stop the dosage of other medications while you take Chlorpromazine.
• Talk to your doctor about any history of asthma, lung disease or infection, glaucoma, cancer, seizures, abnormal brain activity, blood marrow problems, heart disease, kidney disease, or liver conditions, or an adverse reaction to mental illness medications.
• Chlorpromazine may cause complications in newborn children when taken during the latter part of a pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast feeding before taking Chlorpromazine.
• Do not take Chlorpromazine in the two days prior to having a spine x-ray.

Chlorpromazine Treatment and Use

Chlorpromazine | Formerly marketed as Thorazine, Chlorpromazine is a phenothiazine antipsychotic that is used as a treatment for the symptoms of schizophernia and manic episodes in patients with bipolar disorder. In children under 12 year old, it can be used to treat explosive aggression and hyperactivity. It is also sometimes used as a treatment for anxiety before surgeries, chronic hiccups, nausea or vomiting, and tetanus symptoms.

How does Chlorpromazine work?

Chlorpromazine works by altering the way certain chemicals work in the brain and body. It blocks certain receptors in the brain and prohibits the production of specific chemicals, such as dopamine.

Chlorpromazine dosage information

Chlorpromazine is an oral tablet taken between two and four times daily, variable on the condition to be treated. It is taken 2 to 3 hours before surgery to treat pre-surgery anxiety. When used as a treatment for chronic hiccups, it is taken between three to four times daily until the hiccups go away. However, if the hiccups persist after three days, a different treatment should be used.

Your doctor may require you to build up to your final dosage gradually, then decrease your dosage once your condition is under control.

Other Names for Chlorpromazine

• Thorazine (unavailable)


• Largactil (chlorpromazine hydrochloride)

• Chlorpromazine

Lawsuits & Legal Information for Chlorpromazine