Haldol vs. Thorazine

• Are Haldol and Thorazine the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Haldol?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Thorazine?
• What Is Haldol?
• What Is Thorazine?
• What drugs interact with Haldol?
• What drugs interact with Thorazine?
• How Should Haldol Be Taken?
• How Should Thorazine Be Taken?

Haldol (haloperidol) and Thorazine (chlorpromazine) are antipsychotic drugs used to treat psychotic disorders like schizophrenia and also to treat severe behavior problems in children.

Haldol is also used to control motor (movement) and verbal (for example, Tourette's syndrome) tics.

Thorazine is also used to treat bipolar disorder, to treat nausea and vomiting, anxiety before surgery, chronic hiccups, acute intermittent porphyria, and symptoms of tetanus.

The brand name Thorazine is discontinued in the U.S. Generic forms may be available.

Side effects of Haldol and Thorazine that are similar include dry mouth, dizziness, drowsiness, sleep problems (insomnia), anxiety, breast enlargement or discharge, changes in menstrual periods, and blurred vision.

Side effects of Haldol that are different from Thorazine include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, nervousness, headache, spinning sensation, restlessness, skin rash, itching, spontaneous eye movements, mood changes, loss of interest in sex, difficulty urinating or urinating less than usual, and occasional movement disorders.

Side effects of Thorazine that are different from Haldol include weight gain, swelling in hands or feet, stuffy nose, constipation, impotence, or trouble having an orgasm.

Both Haldol and Thorazine may interact with alcohol and other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (sleeping pills, narcotic pain medicines, prescription cough medicines, muscle relaxers, or medicines for anxiety, depression, or seizures).

Haldol may also interact with cancer medicines, anti-malaria medications, heart rhythm medicines, or medicines to treat a psychiatric disorder.

Thorazine may also interact with atropine, lithium, antibiotics, birth control pills or hormone replacement estrogens, blood pressure medications, blood thinners, asthma medications or bronchodilators, incontinence medications, insulin or oral diabetes medications, medication for nausea and vomiting or motion sickness, medications to treat or prevent malaria, medications for general anesthesia, medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, numbing medicine, stimulants, ADHD medication, ulcer or irritable bowel medication, medicines to treat Parkinson's disease, restless leg syndrome, or pituitary gland tumor.

Do not stop using Haldol or Thorazine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Side effects of Haldol include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• diarrhea,
• dry mouth,
• nervousness,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• spinning sensation,
• drowsiness,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• restlessness,
• anxiety,
• skin rash,
• itching,
• spontaneous eye movements,
• mood changes,
• breast enlargement,
• irregular menstrual periods,
• loss of interest in sex,
• blurred vision,
• difficulty urinating or urinating less than usual, and
• occasional movement disorders

Severe side effects of Haldol include:

• death in the elderly,
• prolongation of the QT heartbeat interval,
• tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements), prolonged erection (hours),
• a symptom complex sometimes referred to as neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) with fever,
• irregular heartbeats,
• mental status changes, and
• renal failure

Common side effects of Thorazine include:

• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• anxiety,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• breast swelling or discharge,
• changes in menstrual periods,
• weight gain,
• swelling in hands or feet,
• dry mouth,
• stuffy nose,
• blurred vision,
• constipation,
• impotence, or
• trouble having an orgasm.

Haldol (haloperidol) is an antipsychotic drug that decreases excitement in the brain. Haldol is used to treat psychotic disorders like schizophrenia, to control motor (movement) and verbal (for example, Tourette's syndrome) tics and is used to treat severe behavior problems in children.

Haldol is also used to treat or manage:

• Schizophrenia
• manic or mixed episodes that happen with bipolar I disorder
• major depressive disorder (MDD) when ABILIFY is used with antidepressant medicines
• irritability associated with autistic disorder
• Tourette's disorder

Haldol Injection is a prescription medicine used to treat:

• agitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar mania

It is not known if Haldol is safe or effective in children:

• under 13 years of age with schizophrenia
• under 10 years of age with bipolar I disorder
• under 6 years of age with irritability associated with autistic disorder
• under 6 years of age with Tourette's disorder

Thorazine (chlorpromazine) is a phenothiazine anti-psychotic medication used to treat psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia or manic-depression, and severe behavioral problems in children. Thorazine is also used to treat nausea and vomiting, anxiety before surgery, chronic hiccups, acute intermittent porphyria, and symptoms of tetanus.

Haldol may interact with other drugs so the patient needs close observation or monitoring to determine if other side effects develop.

Thorazine may interact with atropine, lithium, phenytoin, antibiotics, birth control pills or hormone replacement estrogens, blood pressure medications, blood thinners, asthma medications or bronchodilators, incontinence medications, insulin or oral diabetes medications, medication for nausea, vomiting, or motion sickness, medications to treat or prevent malaria, medications used for general anesthesia, medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, numbing medicine, stimulants, ADHD medication, ulcer or irritable bowel medication, medicines to treat Parkinson's disease, restless leg syndrome, or pituitary gland tumor. Many other medicines can interact with chlorpromazine. Tell your doctor all medications you use. During pregnancy, chlorpromazine should be used only if prescribed. It may cause side effects in a newborn if the mother takes the medication during pregnancy. Chlorpromazine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding. Withdrawal symptoms may occur if you are on a high dosage of this medication and abruptly stop taking it.

Haldol (ziprasidone HCl) is available as capsules and Haldol (ziprasidone mesylate) is available as an injection for intramuscular use.

Haldol Capsules should be administered at an initial daily dose of 20 mg twice daily with food. For intramuscular dosing, the recommended dose of Haldol is 10 mg to 20 mg administered as required up to a maximum dose of 40 mg per day.

Dosing of Thorazine depends on severity of the condition, and the patient's response to the drug.