Ziprasidone (Systemic)

Brand Names : Geodon

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 ziprasidone, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to ziprasidone. Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Ziprasidone has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that ziprasidone causes birth defects and other problems. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether ziprasidone passes into the breast milk. However, ziprasidone is not recommended during breast-feeding, because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of ziprasidone in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of ziprasidone in the elderly with use in other age groups.

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 ziprasidone, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:

• Arsenic trioxide (e.g., Trisenox) or
• Chlorpromazine (e.g., Thorazine) or
• Class Ia and III anti-arrhythmics or
• Dofetilide (e.g., Tikosyn) or
• Dolasetron mesylate (e.g., Anzemet) or
• Droperidol (e.g., Inapsine) or
• Gatifloxacin (e.g., Tequin) or
• Halofantrine (e.g., Halfan) or
• Levomethadyl acetate (e.g., Orlaam) or
• Mefloquine (e.g., Lariam) or
• Mesoridazine (e.g., Serentil) or
• Moxifloxacin (e.g., Avelox) or
• Pentamidine (e.g., Nebupent, Pentam 300) or
• Pimozide (e.g., Orap) or
• Probucol (e.g., Lorelco) or
• Quinidine (e.g., Quinidex, Quiniglute) or
• Sotalol (e.g., Betapace) or
• Sparfloxacin (e.g., Zagam) or
• Tacrolimus (e.g., Prograf) or
• Thioridazine (e.g., Mellaril) - May cause serious problems with your heart.

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

• Heart attack (recent) or
• Heart disease or
• Irregular heartbeat or
• Heart failure - Ziprasidone may make these conditions worse

• Low level of magnesium in your blood or
• Low level of potassium in your blood - This increases chance for heart problems

• Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) or
• Tardive Dyskinesia - May appear or worsen with ziprasidone therapy

• Seizures or
• Alzheimer's disease - Increased risk of seizures and aspiration pneumonia