Drug Name

Geodon (Ziprasidone)

Drug Uses

Geodon is used to treat severe mental disorders like schizophrenia, which are characterized by distorted thoughts, perceptions, and emotions. Geodon helps manage schizophrenia's "positive symptoms," (visual and auditory hallucinations, and delusions) and may also help in treating the "negative symptoms" of schizophrenia (social withdrawal, apathy, lack of motivation, and an inability to experience pleasure). Geodon is also used to treat acute bipolar mania, including manic and mixed episodes.

How Taken

Geodon usually is taken twice a day. The usual starting dose is 20 mg twice daily. The dose may be increased over time to achieve the desired effect. Geodon should be taken with food (for example, shortly after a meal) since when taken on an empty stomach, much less geodon is absorbed.

Drug Class and Mechanism

Geodon is an oral and injectable drug that is used for treating psychoses, for example, schizophrenia. Although the mechanism of geodon action is not known, like other anti-psychotics, it inhibits communication between nerves of the brain. It does this by blocking receptors on the nerves for several neurotransmitters, the chemicals that nerves use to communicate with each other. It is thought that the beneficial effect of geodon is due to its blocking of dopamine and serotonin receptors. It also inhibits the re-uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine by nerves in the brain like some anti-depressant drugs. Geodon is associated with little or no weight gain, a feature that distinguishes it from other anti-psychotic drugs. Similarly, geodon is unique among anti-psychotic drugs in that it does not increase cholesterol levels.

Missed Dose

Continue to take this medicine even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses. If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Storage

Capsules should be stored at room temperature, between 15 and 30 degrees C (59-86 degrees F).

Warnings/Precautions

This medicine is an atypical antipsychotic. Elderly patients who take this medicine to treat a medical condition called Dementia-Related Psychosis have an increased risk of death, usually due to heart problems (such as heart failure) or infection (such as pneumonia). This medicine is not approved by the FDA to treat Dementia-Related Psychosis. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Some medicines or medical conditions may interact with this medicine. Inform your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and over-the-counter medicine that you are taking. Do not take this medicine if you are also taking medicine for an irregular heartbeat (such as dofetilide or quinidine), certain quinolones antibiotics (such as sparfloxacin or moxifloxacin), certain ketolides antibiotics (such as telithromycin), quinupristin, dalfopristin, certain antihistamines (such as astemizole or terfenadine), certain macrolides antibiotics (such as azithromycin or clarithromycin), halofantrine, mefloquine, pentamidine, arsenic trioxide, levomethadyl acetate, dolasetron, methadone, cisapride, probucol, medicine for immune suppression (such as tacrolimus), or certain medicines for mood or mental disorders (such as chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, or thioridazine). QTc prolongation can infrequently result in serious, rarely fatal, irregular heartbeats. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details. Ask for instructions about whether you need to stop any other QTc-prolonging medicines you may be using in order to minimize the risk of this effect. Additional monitoring of your dose or condition may be needed if you are taking certain antifungal medicines (such as ketoconazole or itraconazole), medicines for Parkinson disease (such as pramipexole or levodopa), certain medicines for high blood pressure, medicines for sleep, medicine for anxiety, narcotic pain relievers (such as codeine), certian medicines for depression (such as amitriptyline), certain medicines for seizure (such as carbamazepine), muscle relaxants, or antihistamines that can cause drowsiness (such as diphenhydramine). Inform your doctor of any other medical conditions including a history of kidney problems, liver problems, electrolyte imbalance (such as low potassium or magnesium ), stroke, low blood pressure, heart problems (such as heart failure), infection (such as pneumonia), seizures, swallowing difficulty, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, breast cancer, personal or family history of diabetes, allergies, pregnancy, or breast-feeding. Use of this medicine is not recommended if you have a history of QT prolongation, irregular heartbeat, recent heart attack, or severe heart failure. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns about using this medicine. Do not take this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to it or are allergic to any ingredient in this product. It may take several weeks for this medicine to work. Do not stop using this medicine without checking with your doctor. Keep all doctor and laboratory appointments while you are using this medicine. Laboratory and/or medical tests, such as fasting blood sugar levels, may be done to monitor your progress or to check for side effects. This medicine may cause drowsiness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to this medicine. If dizziness occurs, sit up or stand up slowly. Do not become overheated in hot weather or during exercise or other activities since risk of heatstroke may be increased. This medicine may increase your risk of developing diabetes or increase blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels can cause serious problems if left untreated. Contact your doctor for more information. Before you begin taking any new medicine, either prescription or over-the-counter, check with your doctor or pharmacist. This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other depressants. Ask your pharmacist if you have questions about which medicines are depressants. Caution is advised when using this medicine in the elderly, especially those with dementia-related problems, because they may be more sensitive to the effects of this medicine. For women: if you plan on becoming pregnant, discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using this medicine during pregnancy. It is unknown if this medicine is excreted in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine. Diabetics: this medicine may affect your blood sugar. Check blood sugar levels closely and ask your doctor before adjusting the dose of your diabetes medicine.

Possible Side Effects

Some of the most common side effects, associated with geodon are feeling unusually tired (1 in 7 patients), nausea (1 in 10), constipation (1 in 11), dizziness (1 in 12), restlessness (1 in 12), diarrhea (1 in 20), rash (1 in 20), and a condition with abnormal muscle movements, including tremor, shuffling, and uncontrollable movements (1 in 20). There is a slight risk (1 in 1500 patients) that geodon by itself could significantly increase the QT interval. There is an even smaller risk (1 in 4000 patients) that it could cause a potentially serious change in the rhythm of the heart. Geodon causes orthostatic hypotension, a drop in blood pressure upon rising that can cause dizziness or light-headedness. The risk is about 1 in 200 patients. Geodon frequently causes tiredness (1 in 7 patients). Therefore, care should be exercised in any activity, requiring mental alertness, such as operating a motor vehicle (including automobiles) or operating hazardous machinery. Less common side effects include seizures (1 in 250 patients). As with other antipsychotics, long-term use of geodon may lead to a potentially irreversible condition called tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements of the jaw, lips, and tongue). A potentially fatal complex referred to as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) has been reported with other anti-psychotic drugs. Patients who develop NMS may have high fevers, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, irregular pulse or blood pressure, rapid heart rate, excessive sweating, and heart arrhythmias.

More Information

Do not share this medicine with others for whom it was not prescribed. Do not use this medicine for other health conditions. Keep this medicine out of the reach of children. If using this medicine for an extended period of time, obtain refills before your supply runs out.