What is "fluphenazine"

n. An antipsychotic drug used in the treatment of schizophrenia etc

n. tranquilizer used to treat psychotic disorders

Fluphenazine, sold under the brand names Prolixin among others, is an antipsychotic medication. It is used in the treatment of chronic psychoses such as schizophrenia, and appears to be about equal in effectiveness to low-potency antipsychotics. It is given by mouth, injection into a muscle, or just under the skin. There is a long acting injectable version that may last for up to four weeks.

Common side effects include movement problems, sleepiness, and increased weight. Serious side effects may include the potentially permanent movement disorder tardive dyskinesia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and low white blood cell levels. In older people with psychosis as a result of dementia it may increase the risk of dying. It may also increase prolactin levels which may result in milk production. It is unclear if it is safe for use in pregnancy. Fluphenazine is a typical antipsychotic of the phenothiazine class. Its mechanism of action is not entirely clear but believed to be related to its ability as a dopamine antagonist.

Fluphenazine came into use in 1959. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, most important medication needed in a basic health system. It is available as a generic medication. In the United States the pills costs between 0.22 and 0.42 USD per day for a typical dose. The wholesale cost in the developing world of the long acting form is between 0.20 and 6.20 USD per injection as of 2014.