Pimozide (Systemic)

Brand Names : Orap

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For pimozide, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to pimozide, haloperidol, or other medicines used to treat mental illness. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Diet - It is very important that you do not take pimozide with grapefruit juice. Studies have shown that taking pimozide with grapefruit juice may cause heart rhythm problems.

Pregnancy - Studies in rats and rabbits given more than the highest recommended human dose of pimozide have shown fewer pregnancies, slowed development of the fetus, and toxic effects in the mother and fetus.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether pimozide passes into breast milk.

Children - Children are especially sensitive to the effects of pimozide. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment. Pimozide usually is not used in children for any condition other than Tourette's syndrome.

Older adults - Constipation, dizziness or fainting, drowsiness, dryness of mouth, and trembling of the hands and fingers, and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia (such as rapid, worm-like movements of the tongue or any other uncontrolled movements of the mouth, tongue, or jaw, and/or arms and legs) may be especially likely to occur in the elderly, who are usually more sensitive than younger adults to the effects of pimozide.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking pimozide, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amoxapine (e.g., Asendin) or
• Antipsychotics (medicine for mental illness) or
• Metoclopramide (e.g., Reglan) or
• Metyrosine (e.g., Demser) or
• Paroxetine (e.g., Paxil) or
• Promethazine (e.g., Phenergan) or
• Rauwolfia alkaloids (deserpidine [e.g., Harmonyl], rauwolfia serpentina [e.g., Raudixin], reserpine [e.g., Serpalan]) or
• Tacrine (e.g., Cognex) - Taking these medicines with pimozide may increase the chance of developing unusual movements

• Amphetamines or
• Methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin) or
• Pemoline (e.g., Cylert) - These medicines may cause tics and pimozide is not used to treat tics caused by other medicines

• Anticholinergics (medicine for abdominal or stomach spasms or cramps) - Taking these medicines with pimozide may increase the chance of certain side effects, such as dryness of mouth, constipation, and unusual excitement

• Azithromycin (e.g., Zithromax) or
• Clarithromycin (e.g., Biaxin) or
• Dirithromycin (e.g., Dynabac) or
• Disopyramide (e.g., Norpace) or
• Erythromycin (e.g., Erybid) or
• Indinavir (e.g., Crixivan) or
• Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox) or
• Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) or
• Maprotiline (e.g., Ludiomil) or
• Nefazodone (e.g., Serzone) or
• Nelfinavir (e.g., Viracept) or
• Phenothiazines (chlorpromazine [e.g., Thorazine], fluphenazine [e.g., Prolixin], mesoridazine [e.g., Serentil], methotrimeprazine [e.g., Nozinan], pericyazine [e.g., Neuleptil], perphenazine [e.g., Trilafon], pipotiazine [e.g., Piportil L ₄ ], prochlorperazine [e.g., Compazine], promazine [e.g., Sparine], thiopropazate [e.g., Dartal], thioproperazine [e.g., Majeptil], thioridazine [e.g., Mellaril], trifluoperazine [e.g., Stelazine], triflupromazine [e.g., Vesprin]) or
• Probucol (e.g., Lorelco) or
• Procainamide (e.g., Pronestyl) or
• Quinidine (e.g., Quinidex) or
• Ritonavir (e.g., Norvir) or
• Saquinavir (e.g., Invirase) or
• Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline [e.g., Elavil], amoxapine [e.g., Asendin], clomipramine [e.g., Anafranil], desipramine [e.g., Pertofrane], doxepin [e.g., Sinequan], imipramine [e.g., Tofranil], nortriptyline [e.g., Aventyl], protriptyline [e.g., Vivactil], trimipramine [e.g., Surmontil])
• Troleandomycin (e.g., Tao) or
• Zileuton (e.g., Zyflo) - Do not take any of these medicines while you are taking pimozide . Taking these medicines with pimozide may increase the chance of developing serious changes in the rhythm of your heart

• Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that cause drowsiness) - Using these medicines with pimozide may increase the CNS depressant effects

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of pimozide. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Breast cancer (history of) or
• Glaucoma, narrow angle or
• Heart disease or
• Intestinal blockage or
• Urinary tract blockage or difficult urination - Pimozide may make the condition worse

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease - Higher blood levels of pimozide may occur, increasing the chance of side effects

• Low blood potassium - Pimozide may increase the chance of developing serious changes in heart rhythm

• Seizures, history of - Pimozide may increase the chance of having seizures

• Tics other than those caused by Tourette's syndrome - Pimozide should not be used because of the risk of serious side effects