Perphenazine
Perphenazine (per FEN a zeen) is a generic medication prescribed for the mental health condition schizophrenia. It’s also prescribed for severe nausea and vomiting. Perphenazine belongs to a group of drugs called antipsychotics.
Perphenazine (per FEN a zeen) is a generic medication prescribed for the mental health condition schizophrenia. It’s also prescribed for severe nausea and vomiting. Perphenazine belongs to a group of drugs called antipsychotics.
- Generic
- • Tablet
- • 4mg
- • 30 Tablets
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Intro
Introduction
Written by Sarah Lewis, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Elizabeth Scheffel, PharmD
Updated on September 19, 2023
Perphenazine (per FEN a zeen) is a generic medication prescribed for the mental health condition schizophrenia. It’s also prescribed for severe nausea and vomiting. Perphenazine belongs to a group of drugs called antipsychotics.
Boxed warning: Increased risk of death in certain older adults
Perphenazine oral tablet has a boxed warning about the risk of death in older adults with dementia-related psychosis. (Dementia refers to problems with thinking, memory, and communication.) Boxed warnings are the most serious warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
For details, see the “Interactions and warnings for perphenazine” section.
FAQ
Common questions about perphenazine
Below you’ll find answers to a few commonly asked questions about perphenazine.
What brand names are available for perphenazine?
Currently, there isn’t a brand-name drug available for perphenazine. Perphenazine oral tablet is a generic version of the brand-name drug Trilafon. But Trilafon is no longer on the market.
A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.) Generic drugs are believed to be as effective and safe as brand-name drugs. And generic drugs usually cost less compared with brand-name drugs.
To find out more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Can perphenazine be prescribed for anxiety?
Possibly. Perphenazine is prescribed to treat the mental health condition schizophrenia. Anxiety is a common symptom of schizophrenia. By treating schizophrenia, perphenazine may help relieve anxiety.
Perphenazine isn’t approved to treat anxiety due to other causes. But doctors may choose to prescribe it for this purpose, which is called an off-label use. With off-label use, doctors prescribe a drug for a purpose other than what it’s approved for.
You can learn more about taking perphenazine for anxiety by talking with your doctor.
Does perphenazine cause long-term side effects?
Yes, in some cases, perphenazine may cause long-term side effects. These can occur if you take the drug for a long time and can last for a while after you’ve stopped taking the drug.
Examples of long-term side effects include:
- tardive dyskinesia, which is a serious muscle movement disorder that may not be reversible*
- eye problems
- kidney problems
- liver problems
- skin color changes
* This risk is higher the longer you take perphenazine. It may also be higher in older adults (ages 65 years and older) taking high doses of the drug.
Talk with your doctor to learn more about these side effects and how to best manage them. Ask your doctor for more information about how long these side effects of perphenazine may last.
How does perphenazine work? And how long does it take to start working?
Perphenazine works in the brain to reduce unusual activity. This helps manage the symptoms of schizophrenia and relieve severe nausea and vomiting.
Perphenazine should start working to relieve severe nausea and vomiting within around 1 hour. For schizophrenia, it can take a few weeks to experience the full effect of the drug.
If you’d like to know more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Side effects
Side effects of perphenazine
Perphenazine may cause mild or serious side effects. More common mild side effects of perphenazine and its serious side effects are listed below. This article doesn’t include all possible side effects of the drug. Side effects can vary based on your age, overall health, and any other medications you take.
To learn more about perphenazine’s side effects, ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also refer to the prescribing information for perphenazine listed in the “Resources” section.
Mild side effects
More common mild side effects reported with perphenazine are listed below.
This article doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. To learn more about perphenazine’s side effects, refer to the prescribing information for perphenazine listed in the “Resources” section.
With many drugs, mild side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If the side effects are bothersome, tell your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest ways to manage them.
Perphenazine oral tablet’s mild side effects include:
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- dry mouth
- headache
- mild allergic reaction*
* For details about this side effect, see the “Interactions and warnings for perphenazine” section.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects of perphenazine are listed below.
This article doesn’t include all possible serious side effects of the drug. To learn more about perphenazine’s side effects, refer to the prescribing information for perphenazine listed in the “Resources” section.
With many drugs, serious side effects are possible but not common. If you have serious side effects from this drug, call your doctor right away. If you’re having severe symptoms or a medical emergency, call 911 or a local emergency number.
In general, perphenazine’s serious side effects include:
- blood sugar level changes
- breast growth or milk production in males and females*
- extrapyramidal symptoms (involuntary movements that you can’t control), including tardive dyskinesia (a muscle movement disorder that may not be reversible)
- falls due to low blood pressure, instability, or sleepiness
- heart problems, including changes in heart rate and cardiac arrest
- kidney or liver problems
- low blood cell counts, including white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets
- menstrual period changes
- neuroleptic malignant syndrome (a rare reaction to antipsychotic drugs that can be life threatening)
- paralysis of the digestive tract or bladder
- seizures
- sexual problems
- severe constipation
- skin color changes
- swelling of the brain
- vision problems
- boxed warning: increased risk of death in older adults with dementia-related psychosis†
- severe allergic reaction*
* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. In this article, we use the terms “male” and “female” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth.
† For details about this side effect, see the “Interactions and warnings for perphenazine” section.
Uses
Uses of perphenazine
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as perphenazine for certain conditions. Approved uses for perphenazine are described below.
Use for severe nausea and vomiting
Doctors may prescribe perphenazine oral tablet for treating severe nausea and vomiting. It’s prescribed for this purpose in adults and children 12 years and older. It’s usually prescribed as a short-term treatment.
With severe nausea and vomiting, you may not be able to keep down fluids. This can lead to dehydration (low fluid level), which can be life threatening. Perphenazine may help relieve severe nausea and vomiting from various causes.
Use for schizophrenia
Doctors may prescribe perphenazine oral tablet for treating schizophrenia. It’s prescribed for this purpose in adults and children 12 years and older. It’s usually prescribed as a long-term treatment.
With schizophrenia, people understand reality in a different way. This causes them to have unusual thoughts, emotions, or behaviors. Examples include having false beliefs about reality or seeing or hearing things that aren’t real. The symptoms can significantly affect daily functioning. Perphenazine may help manage these symptoms.
Interactions and warnings
Interactions and warnings for perphenazine
Below, you’ll find information about perphenazine’s possible interactions and warnings.
Interactions of perphenazine
Certain things may affect how a drug works. These include getting vaccines, consuming alcohol or certain foods, or taking the drug with other medications. This effect is called a drug interaction.
Before you take perphenazine, ask your doctor to check for possible interactions. Be sure to tell them about any of the following you take or use:
- prescription or over-the-counter drugs
- vitamins, herbs, or supplements
To learn about drug-condition interactions, see the “Warnings for perphenazine” section below.
Warnings for perphenazine
Some people should not take perphenazine, and others should take it cautiously.
Boxed warning: Increased risk of death in certain older adults
Perphenazine has a boxed warning about the risk of death in older adults (ages 65 years and older) with dementia-related psychosis. Boxed warnings are the most serious warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In older adults with dementia-related psychosis, taking antipsychotic medications such as perphenazine increases the risk of death.
Dementia is a brain disorder with loss of memory and thinking skills. People with dementia can develop psychosis (loss of touch with reality). Due to the increased risk of death, perphenazine isn’t approved to treat dementia-related psychosis.
To learn more, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Other warnings
Perphenazine could cause harm to people with certain health conditions. This effect is called a drug-condition interaction. Other factors can also affect whether perphenazine is a safe option for you.
Ask your doctor about specific warnings for perphenazine, and be sure to tell your doctor about your:
- current health, including any allergies to medications
- past health conditions or surgeries
Allergic reaction
Perphenazine can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Severe allergic reactions are rare but possible.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction to perphenazine or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe perphenazine. They can tell you about medications that are safer options for you.
A mild allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:
A severe allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:
- swelling under your skin, usually in your hands, feet, eyelids, or lips
- swelling of your mouth, throat, or tongue, which can cause breathing problems
If you have an allergic reaction to perphenazine, call your doctor right away. If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number.
Overdose of perphenazine
You should not take more perphenazine than your doctor prescribes. For some drugs, doing so may lead to harmful effects or overdose.
If you think you’ve taken too much perphenazine, call your doctor or pharmacist right away. Or you could call 800-222-1222 to speak with someone at America’s Poison Centers. You can also use its online resource. If you have concerning symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number immediately. You can also go to the closest emergency room.
Pregnancy or breastfeeding and perphenazine
Information about perphenazine and pregnancy and breastfeeding is described below.
Perphenazine and pregnancy
There are risks to taking perphenazine during pregnancy. But there are also risks associated with having untreated schizophrenia or severe nausea and vomiting while pregnant. (Keep in mind that perphenazine is prescribed for treating schizophrenia or severe nausea and vomiting.)
If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your treatment options during pregnancy. Together, you can discuss the risks and benefits of your treatment options and decide whether you should take perphenazine during pregnancy.
Your doctor may also talk with you about the National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications. It’s a registry that monitors outcomes of taking psychiatric medications during pregnancy. You can sign up by calling 866-961-2388 or online at this website.
Perphenazine and breastfeeding
It’s not known whether perphenazine should be taken while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.
Ask your doctor
What to ask your doctor
Let your doctor know if you have questions about perphenazine or would like more details about it.
Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:
- How does perphenazine compare with newer antipsychotic medications?
- Do I have a higher risk of side effects than other people?
- What is the most important information I should know about perphenazine?
Resources
Resources
- Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm
- Perphenazine tablets, USP. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/cf41a02d-c881-4b40-b99c-d5b79dbd645b/spl-doc
Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
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