Prochlorperazine

1 medicine

Prochlorperazine is a phenothiazine used to control nausea, vomiting and vertigo, and in higher doses for psychotic symptoms; it can cause extrapyramidal reactions and, rarely, life-threatening neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which needs emergency care.

Compazine

Prochlorperazine

5mg

Compazine is a digestive health medication containing Prochlorperazine, available as 5mg tablets.

from $0.46 / tablet View

Key facts

  • Prochlorperazine is a phenothiazine that blocks dopamine; it is used mainly to control nausea, vomiting, and vertigo, and in higher doses for psychotic symptoms. Brand: Compazine.
  • It comes as tablets, buccal tablets that dissolve against the gum, and suppositories, usually working within an hour.
  • It can cause extrapyramidal reactions: sudden muscle stiffness, spasms, or restlessness. Rarely, it triggers neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a life-threatening reaction with high fever, severe muscle rigidity, and confusion.
  • Seek urgent care for a sudden high fever with muscle stiffness, uncontrollable spasms of the face or neck, or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

What prochlorperazine treats

Prochlorperazine treats nausea and vomiting from many causes, including migraine and chemotherapy, and vertigo linked to conditions such as Meniere's disease. At higher doses it treats psychotic symptoms, including those of schizophrenia.

How prochlorperazine works

Prochlorperazine blocks dopamine D2 receptors in the brain's vomiting center, which stops nausea signals from reaching the brain, and in other brain pathways, which reduces psychotic symptoms. The same dopamine blockade in the brain's movement-control pathways is what produces extrapyramidal side effects.

Before you take it

  • Avoid prochlorperazine if you have Parkinson's disease, are heavily sedated or comatose, or have had an allergic reaction to a phenothiazine.
  • Older adults with dementia-related confusion face a higher risk of stroke and death with this class of medicine, so it should be used only when clearly needed and for the shortest time.
  • Avoid combining it with other dopamine-blocking drugs, such as metoclopramide or antipsychotics, since this raises the risk of extrapyramidal reactions.
  • Alcohol and other sedating medicines add to its drowsiness.

Side effects

Common effects include drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, and light-headedness on standing.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

  • Sudden muscle stiffness or spasms, especially of the face, neck, or eyes.
  • A high fever with muscle rigidity and confusion (possible NMS).
  • Restlessness that feels impossible to sit still through.
  • A fast or irregular heartbeat.

Safety essentials

  • Extrapyramidal reactions and NMS are the defining risks: stop the medicine and get emergency care for sudden severe muscle stiffness, high fever, or confusion.
  • Do not combine prochlorperazine with other dopamine-blocking medicines, which increases the risk of these movement reactions.
  • In older adults with dementia, this medicine carries a higher risk of stroke and death and should be used only under close medical supervision.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.