Geodon

Section 8 - MEDICATION GUIDELINES

SEDATIVE / HYPNOTICS / ANTIPSYCHOTIC

Ziprasidone (GEODON) / Antipsychotic

DESCRIPTION

• An atypical antipsychotic acting as a dopamine antagonist that also affects other neurotransmitters to reduce psychosis and acute agitation.

INDICATIONS

• Used for the control of acute agitation in schizophrenic and/or severely agitated patients.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

• Persons known to have prolonged QTc intervals
  • Only in high doses of 40-60 mg has shown a slight increase in QTc
• Known recent acute myocardial infarction
• Uncompensated heart failure
• Patients known to take other medications that also prolong the QTc interval
• Hypersensitivity to the medication.

PRECAUTIONS

• No clinically significant drug-drug interactions have been identified with other concomitantly administered EMS medications such as benzodiazepines.

DOSAGE

• 10 - 20 IM for adults based on the BARS scale for agitation.
• Not approved for use in pediatric patients.

ONSET OF ACTION

• Less than 15 minutes
• Peak effect 20-30 minutes
• Half-Life 2-5 hours

Behavioral Activity Rating Scale

7	Violent, requires restraint.
6	Extremely/continually active; not requiring restraint.
5	Signs of overt (physical or verbal) activity; calms down with instruction.
4	Quiet and awake (normal activity level).
3	Drowsy, appears sedated.
2	Asleep, but responds normally to verbal or physical contact.
1	Difficult or unable to arouse.

Medications known to prolong the QTc (This table is not all inclusive)

Adderall	Droperidol	Procainamide
Amiodarone	Effexor	Propulsid
Anzemet	Elavil	Prozac
Avelox	Erythromycin	Seroquel
Betapace	Haldol	Tamoxifen
Cardene	Lozol	Zanaflex
Cerebyx	Mellaril	Zithromax
Detrol LA	Norpace	Zoloft