Course Summary

Pimozide is a first-generation antipsychotic primarily indicated for the treatment of severe, refractory tics in Tourette syndrome (TS). With a pharmacological profile that extends beyond tic suppression, pimozide shows promise as an adjunctive therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and delusional parasitosis, utility in patients with Huntington’s disease, as well as an investigational agent in oncology. Once used to treat patients with schizophrenia, it should be used with caution due to the risk of adverse effects. This review provides a biopsychosocial analysis of pimozide’s clinical applications, pharmacodynamics, and critical considerations for healthcare providers to optimize therapeutic efficacy while mitigating potential risks.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
• Pharmacological Profile
  • Mechanism of Action
  • Dosing
• Clinical Application: Primary Indications and Efficacy 
  • Tourette Syndrome
  • Off-Label Uses
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • Delusional Parasitosis
  • Huntington’s Disease
  • Schizophrenia
• Contraindications, Precautions, and Adverse Effects
  • Contraindications
  • Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
• Toxicity: Management and Prognosis
  • Monitoring
• Role of the Interprofessional Healthcare Team
• Clinical Pearls
• Case Studies: Pimozide
  • Case Study 1: 63-year-old Male Diagnosed with Unspecified Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder
  • Case Study 2: 70-year-old Female Presenting with Pollakiuria
• Summary

Authors

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.

Elisabeth Gordon, BScPharm, RPh

Elisabeth Gordon earned her BSc(Pharm) from the University of British Columbia in 2004. After graduation, she worked in community retail pharmacies on Vancouver Island, before returning to her rural hometown of Salmon Arm. In 2016 and 2017, Elisabeth trained with Pallium Canada and Victoria Hospice to enhance her knowledge of end-of-life-care and palliative services. She is a volunteer medical supervisor for T1DOutreach, a peer support platform for adults living with type 1 diabetes, and a member of a Canadian peer support group for adults living with Birdshot Uveitis. Elisabeth enjoys working in a small, fast-paced rural pharmacy where she brings compassion and empathy to her everyday practice.