Drug interactions
Pimozide + Trifluoperazine
Severity: Contraindicated
Pimozide and Trifluoperazine: contraindicated interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Pimozide and trifluoperazine are both antipsychotics that can prolong the QT interval. Together they increase the chance of ventricular arrhythmias including torsades de pointes. Duplicate antipsychotic therapy also adds extrapyramidal and sedative burden.
What this interaction means in plain words
Pimozide and Trifluoperazine are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Why it happens
Additive hERG potassium channel blockade leading to delayed ventricular repolarization.
What to do
Do not combine; use a single antipsychotic at an effective dose. Check ECG and electrolytes if a switch between agents is being made.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
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Other interactions of Pimozide
- Adagrasib + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amiodarone + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amisulpride + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amitriptyline + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Amoxapine + Pimozide Contraindicated
- Anagrelide + Pimozide Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Pimozide with Trifluoperazine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Pimozide and Trifluoperazine are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Pimozide and trifluoperazine are both antipsychotics that can prolong the QT interval. Together they increase the chance of ventricular arrhythmias including torsades de pointes. Duplicate antipsychotic therapy also adds extrapyramidal and sedative burden.
How serious is the interaction between Pimozide and Trifluoperazine?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not combine; use a single antipsychotic at an effective dose. Check ECG and electrolytes if a switch between agents is being made.
What other medicines interact with Pimozide?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Pimozide with, for example, Adagrasib, Amiodarone, Amisulpride. The full list is on the Pimozide page.
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