Uses
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Psychotic Disorders
Chlorpromazine hydrochloride is used for the symptomatic management of psychotic disorders. Drug therapy is integral to the management of acute psychotic episodes in patients with schizophrenia and generally is required for long-term stabilization to improve symptoms between episodes and to minimize the risk of recurrent acute episodes. Antipsychotic agents are the principal class of drugs used for the management of all phases of schizophrenia and generally are effective in all subtypes of the disorder and subgroups of patients. Patient response and tolerance to antipsychotic agents are variable, and patients who do not respond to or tolerate one drug may be successfully treated with an agent from a different class or with a different adverse effect profile. For additional information on the symptomatic management of schizophrenia, .
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Other Uses
Chlorpromazine is used for the prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting; for relief of restlessness and apprehension before surgery; for acute intermittent porphyria; as an adjunct in the treatment of tetanus; for the symptomatic management of the manic phase of bipolar disorder; and for relief of intractable hiccups.
Chlorpromazine is also used for the treatment of severe behavioral problems in children marked by combativeness and/or explosive hyperexcitable behavior (out of proportion to immediate provocations), and for the short-term treatment of hyperactive children who exhibit excessive motor activity with accompanying conduct disorders that are manifested as impulsivity, difficulty sustaining attention, aggression, mood lability, and/or poor frustration tolerance. However, the possible risks of tardive dyskinesia, withdrawal dyskinesia, and other extrapyramidal reactions associated with the drug should be considered. Some clinicians recommend routine administration of the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) to all children receiving antipsychotic agents for this indication.
Chlorpromazine may be effective in controlling anxiety, tension, and agitation which occur in neuroses. Further studies are needed to establish the efficacy of the drug for this use.