Therapeutic Category
- Antipsychotic Agent, Typical, Phenothiazine
- First Generation (Typical) Antipsychotic
- Phenothiazine Derivative
Medication Safety Issues
Thioridazine may be confused with thiothixene, Thorazine
Mellaril may be confused with Elavil, Mebaral
Beers Criteria: Antipsychotics are identified in the Beers Criteria as potentially inappropriate medications to be avoided in patients 65 years and older due to an increased risk of cerebrovascular accidents (stroke) and a greater rate of cognitive decline and mortality in patients with dementia. Antipsychotics may be appropriate for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, other mental health conditions or short-term use as antiemetic during chemotherapy but should be given in the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration possible. In addition, antipsychotics should be used with caution in older adults due to their potential to cause or exacerbate syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) or hyponatremia; monitor sodium closely with initiation or dosage adjustments in older adults (Beers Criteria [AGS 2019]).
