Each tablet contains 2mg Perphenazine BP.

Tablet White, circular, biconvex, sugar-coated tablets, with a code on one face 1C.

As an adjunct to the short term management of anxiety, severe psychomotor agitation, excitement, violent or dangerously impulsive behaviour, schizophrenia, treatment of symptoms and prevention of relapse, other psychoses especially paranoid, mania and hypomania, nausea and vomiting. It may be of value in the control of intractable hiccoughs.

Adults:

4mg Fentazin three times a day

Dose may have to be adjusted upwards or downwards according to patient response.

Total daily dose should not exceed 24mg.

Treatment should be started and dosage increased under close supervision.

Treatment should be reviewed at intervals to avoid indiscriminate or unduly prolonged use.

Elderly

One quarter or one half of the recommended adult dosage.

Fentazin should be used with caution in the elderly.

Children

Fentazin should not be given to children under the age of 14 years.

Method of administration: Oral

Withdrawal symptoms seen on discontinuation of Fentazin:

Abrupt discontinuation should be avoided. If intolerable symptoms occur following a decrease in the dose or upon discontinuation of treatment, then resuming the previously prescribed dose may be considered. Subsequently, the physician may continue decreasing the dose, but at a more gradual rate.

Fentazin should not be administered to patients with leucopenia, or in association with drugs liable to cause bone marrow depression, or to patients in comatose states.

Fentazin should not be administered to patients with a known hypersensitivity to perphenazine or any of the other excipients.

The possibility of suicide in depressed patient's remains during treatment and until significant remission occurs.

Fentazin should not be used alone when depression is predominant.

Fentazin should be used with caution in patients with liver disease; severe respiratory disease; renal failure; epilepsy and conditions predisposing to epilepsy such as alcohol withdrawal or brain damage; Parkinson's disease; patients who have shown sensitivity to other phenothiazines; personal or family history of narrow angle glaucoma; hypothyroidism, myasthenia gravis; phaeochromocytoma; or prostatic hypertrophy.

Fentazin should be used with caution in patient with cardiovascular disease, such as cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, and a personal or family history of QT prolongation.

The concomitant use of other neuroleptics should be avoided because of possible potentiation of effects.

Since temperature regulation may be impaired, care should be taken in extremely hot and in cold weather, especially in the elderly and frail because of risk of hypothermia.

Acute withdrawal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, sweating and insomnia have been described after abrupt cessation of antipsychotic drugs.

Recurrence of psychotic symptoms may also occur, and the emergence of involuntary movement disorders (such as akathesia, dystonia and dyskinesia) have been reported. Therefore gradual withdrawal is advisable.

Drug interactions affecting Fentazin

Plasma concentrations of antipsychotics may increase when given with ritonavir or tricyclic antidepressants.

Metabolism of Fentazin is inhibited when taken with Paroxetine.

Kaolin or antacids may decrease the absorption of Fentazin.

Memantine may reduce the effects of Fentazin.

Interactions affecting other drugs

Fentazin may enhance the hypotensive effect of other antihypertensive medication

Risk of sedation and/or toxicity when Fentazin is administered with CNS depressants such as alcohol, antipsychotics, opioids, sedatives, and antihistamines. Tramadol when given with Fentazin may increase the risk of convulsions.

Risk of extrapyramidal reactions/anticholinergic effects when Fentazin is administered with Lithium, Metoclopramide, Fluoxetine.

Fentazin may antagonise the therapeutic effects of anticonvulsants

Fentazin may antagonise the therapeutic effects of drugs used for Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders.

Fentazin antagonises the hypoglycaemic effect of sulphonylureas

Phenothiazines may enhance the absorption of corticosteroids and digoxin

May affect action of anticoagulants and increase the bleeding time

Increased risk of toxicity when Fentazin is given with myelosupressive drugs.

Use with concomitant QT prolonging drugs, drugs inhibiting the metabolism of perphenazine, and with drugs causing electrolyte imbalance is not recommended. If the benefit is considered to out weigh the risk in the individual patient, co-administration should be undertaken with caution and ECG monitoring should be considered.

Not all the following side-effects have been reported with this specific drug. However pharmacological similarities with other phenothiazine derivatives require that each be considered. Many of the side effects may be prevented by a reduction in dosage. With the piperazine group (of which perphenazine is an example), the extrapyramidal symptoms like Opisthotonus, trismus, torticollis, retrocollis, aching and numbness of the limbs, motor restlessness, oculogyric crisis, hyperreflexia, dystonia, including protrusion, discoloration, aching and rounding of the tongue, tonic spasm of the masticatory muscles, tight feeling in the throat, slurred speech, dysphagia, akathisia, dyskinesia, parkinsonism and ataxia are more common, and others (e.g., sedation, jaundice, blood dyscrasias) are less frequent.

Frequencies of the ADRs is not defined, however the below mentioned ADRs have been reported.

Disorders of the Blood and the Lymphatic system

Agranulocytosis; Transient leucopenia.

Cardiac disorders

Tachycardia,Ventricular arrhythmias VF ,VT. Sudden unexplained death, cardiac arrest and Torsades de pointes , QT prolongation.

Endocrine disorders

Hyperprolactemia.

Disorders of the eye

Oculogyric crisis ; Visual disorders including blurring of vision

Corneal and lens deposits; Pigmented retinopathy.

Gastrointestinal disorders

Nausea; Oral dryness and saliva altered .

Gastrointestinal atonic and hypomotility disorders including constipation, adynamic ileus

General disorders

Fatigue; Oedema, weight gain

Hepato-biliary disorders

Cholestasis and jaundice, Obstructive jaundice.

Disorders of the immune system

Antinuclear antibodies; Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE).

Investigations

Hyperglycemia, false positive pregnancy tests; Raised serum cholesterol

Neurological disorder:

Headaches; Choreiform movements of the extremities; Dyskinesias and movement disorders including akathisia, orofacial dyskinesia, extrapyramidal disorder and tardive dyskinesias; Dystonia; Hyperreflexia; Disturbances in consciousness including somnolence, stupor; Dizziness. Parkinsonism; Tremors; Epileptic fits; CSF protein abnormalities; Impaired regulation of body temperature. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome has been reported in patients treated with neuroleptic drugs. It is a relatively uncommon, potentially lethal syndrome, characterized by severe extrapyramidal dysfunction, with rigidity and eventual stupor or coma, hyperthermia and autonomic disturbances, including cardiovascular effects

Psychiatric disorders

Confusional state, Agitation; Excitement; Insomnia.

Renal and urinary disorders

Urinary hesitancy or urinary retention

Disorders of the Reproductive system and breast

Menstruation with decreased bleeding Amenorrhea; Erectile dysfunction; impaired ejaculation. Gynaecomastia ; Galactorrhoea.

Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders

Nasal stuffiness.

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders

Photosensitivity; Rashes; Hyperhidrosis.

Vascular disorders

Hypotension.

Goldshield plc

POM – Prescription Only Medicine

02 March 2010