Course Summary

Trifluoperazine is an antipsychotic medication that is primarily used in the treatment of various mental and emotional conditions. It belongs to a class of drugs called phenothiazines, which work by affecting the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, including dopamine. Trifluoperazine is primarily utilized to treat patients diagnosed with generalized non-psychotic anxiety and schizophrenia. It has been used successfully for many years as an adjunct for manic, impulsive, and aggressive behaviors, such as with autistic individuals. There are drug side effects that occur with typical antipsychotic drugs, the most notable being those that affect the extrapyramidal motor system. Extrapyramidal reactions in people taking phenothiazines are believed to be due to the blockade of central dopaminergic receptors affecting motor function, generally occurring at higher doses. The extrapyramidal reactions caused by phenothiazines have been predominantly described as dystonic reactions, motor restlessness, and Parkinsonian-type symptoms. While the drug’s use has declined in the United States, trifluoperazine is still a treatment option in some jurisdictions because of its low cost and observed efficacy when combined with other psychotropic medications.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

1. Introduction
2. Pharmacological Profile, Dosing, Uses, and Warnings
   • Dosing for Non-psychotic Anxiety and Schizophrenia
   • Dosing Adjustment: Geriatric Patients
   • Dosing Adjustment: Hepatic and Renal Impairment
   • Contraindications and Adverse Effects
3. Warnings and Precautions of Trifluoperazine Use
   • Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
   • Drug-Drug Interactions
   • Withdrawal/Discontinuation
4. Trifluoperazine Overdose
5. Case Study: Trifluoperazine
   • Case Study 1: Antipsychotic Drug Use and Hypokalemia
   • Case Study 2: Depressive Episode
6. Summary

Author

Richard Daniels, PharmD, BCPS

Richard “Cole” Daniels earned his Doctor of Pharmacy(PharmD) from the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Montana in 2018. Throughout pharmacy school he completed a 3-year internship at Community Medical Center in Missoula, Montana in which he gained valuable experience in an acute care setting. Cole currently serves as a psychiatric clinical staff pharmacist at the Montana State Hospital. He has over 11 years of pharmacy experience having worked in several settings including retail, acute care, and inpatient psychiatric care. Cole has a diverse set of interests. However, acute care medicine, infectious disease, pain management, and asthma/COPD are a primary focus of his at the Montana State Hospital. He obtained board certification as a certified pharmacotherapy specialist in the Spring of 2022.