Schizophrenia ?
One major drug used in the treatment of schizophrenia is Thorazine. This drug is a very powerful major tranquilizer, which has many potential side effects. In fact, long term use causes an irreversible disorder called tardive dyskenesia. There are drugs that can mask the symptoms of side effects but the person still experiences the long-term side effects. Do you think it is reasonable to use Thorazine for the treatment of schizophrenia considering the potential long-term effects?
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LiL Butterfly,
Chlorpromazine is also known as Largactil and is sold in the USA as Thorazine. The drug description is -
10-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) -2-chlorphenothiazine, a dimethylamine derivative of phenothiazine, it is present in oral and injectable forms as the hydrochloride salt, and in the suppositories as the base. It is known to cause many side effects and symptoms, some of which wear off with continued usage. However, as you have already stated in your question, long term use may lead to Tardive Dyskinesia, which is a variety of dyskinesia - involuntary, repetitive movements. This condition may be permanent, and appears to be most common among the elderly, especially women. Alternatives to chlorpromazine include medications that are injected. These are known as depot antipsychotics and include such medications as - haloperidol, flupentixol and zuclopenthixol. Other alternatives are the ‘atypical antipsychotics,’ these medications include - amisulpride, aripiprazole, clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone and zotepine. Most antipsychotic drugs cause side effects and it is a question of weighing up the cause and effect of the treatment and the side effects, that will determine the treatment of choice. Each decision will obviously be made on an individual basis.
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Hope this helps
matador 89
Thorazine is a first generation anti psychotic and is rarely used anymore. Commonly used drugs now are rhisperdal, geodon etc. Second generation anti psychotics have less side effects but definitey still have them. Sometimes with schizophrenia there are very few options. If the person is a danger to themselves or others doctors have to use whatever is available. However I do believe schizophrenia is heavily over medicated and medication isn't needed nearly as much as it is prescribed.