(zell-docks-i-m)
ziprasidone (zi-pra-si-don)
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Zeldox IM.
It does not contain all the available information.
It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or nurse.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of treatment with Zeldox IM against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about using this medicine, ask your doctor or nurse.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Zeldox IM is used for
What Zeldox IM is for
Zeldox IM is used to treat severe agitation or aggression in people with schizophrenia or similar illnesses.
Your doctor may have prescribed Zeldox IM for another reason.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Zeldox IM has been prescribed for you.
After you have been given Zeldox IM, your symptoms should get better. Your doctor may then switch you to Zeldox capsules or another oral medicine to help manage your symptoms in the long term.
How Zeldox IM works
Zeldox IM belongs to a group of medicines called antipsychotics. It contains the ingredient ziprasidone.
Ziprasidone is thought to work by correcting the imbalance of some chemicals in the brain. This, in turn, reduces the agitation or aggression caused by the illness.
Using Zeldox IM
Zeldox IM is an injection. It is available only in a hospital with a doctor's prescription.
Only a doctor or nurse can give the injection.
Zeldox IM is not recommended for the treatment of elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis.
Zeldox IM is not recommended for use in children under 18 years of age. There is not enough information on its effects in this age group.
Before you are given Zeldox IM
When it must not be used
You must not be given Zeldox IM if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing ziprasidone
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction to Zeldox IM may include:
hives, itching or skin rash
shortness of breath, wheezing
swelling of the face, lips or tongue which may lead to difficulty swallowing or breathing.
You should not be given Zeldox IM if you have had any of the following medical conditions. Your doctor or nurse need to know if you have ever had:
a recent heart attack
heart failure that is not well-controlled
abnormal rhythm of the heart or any other condition requiring other drugs to control your heart rhythm.
Before you are given it
Your doctor and nurse need to know if you have any allergies to:
any other medicines
any other substances such as foods, preservatives or dyes.
Your doctor and nurse need to know about all your medical conditions, especially if you have ever had any of the following:
irregular heart rate
a condition requiring other drugs to control the heart rhythm
any heart or blood vessel problems
low blood levels of potassium or magnesium
high sugar levels in your blood
a condition that may give you low blood pressure
kidney problems
a history of seizures (fits)
liver problems
if you are 65 years of age or over and have a condition known as dementia-related psychosis
if you have ever suffered or suffers from a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT is the formation of blood clots in one of the deep veins within the body, e.g., the leg or pelvis. The symptoms of DVT are pain and swelling in your legs. Sometimes the blood clot may break away from its original location and travel to the lungs. This condition is called pulmonary embolism (PE). Symptoms of PE may include sharp chest pain, shortness of breath or you may cough up blood.
Your doctor and nurse need to know if you have ever had any of the following reactions to this type of medicine:
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) - symptoms include sudden fever, fast breathing, blood pressure changes, sweating, confusion, muscle stiffness and drowsiness or sleepiness
Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) - unusual movements (mainly of the face and tongue), or uncontrollable twitching or jerking of the arms and legs.
Your doctor and nurse need to know if:
you are pregnant
you are breastfeeding.
Like most antipsychotic medicines, Zeldox IM is not recommended for use during pregnancy or during breastfeeding. It is not known if Zeldox IM passes into breast milk.
Taking other medicines
Some medicines may be affected by Zeldox IM or may affect how well it works. Your doctor may need to give you different amounts of your medicine, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you.
Your doctor and nurse need to know if you are taking any other medicines, including:
all prescription medicines
all medicine bought over-the-counter from a pharmacy or supermarket
all complementary and alternative therapies
any supplements or herbal remedies bought from a health food shop
a type of herbal medicine to treat depression called St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
any illicit drugs.
Your doctor and nurse need to know if you are taking medicines for any of the following medical conditions:
Parkinson's disease
Schizophrenia or other psychoses
fast or irregular heart rhythms
sedatives to help you sleep
anxiety
depression or mood swings
pain - especially any narcotic
epilepsy or mood disorder - especially carbamazepine
fungal infections - especially ketoconazole
rifampicin an antibiotic used for the treatment of tuberculosis.
Your doctor or nurse has more information on medicines to be careful with or to avoid while using Zeldox IM.
How Zeldox IM is given
Your doctor will decide how much Zeldox IM you need.
A doctor or nurse will inject Zeldox IM into a muscle.
Your doctor may use Zeldox IM for up to three days.
If you receive too much (overdose)
As your doctor will supervise how much Zeldox IM you are given, you are unlikely to have an overdose.
If you are given too much Zeldox IM, you may feel slightly drowsy and your speech may be slurred.
If you think you have been given too much Zeldox IM:
tell your doctor or nurse immediately, or
telephone the Poisons Information Centre on 131 126.
Side effects
This medicine has been prescribed to help you, but it may have unwanted side effects in some people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following list of side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
It is important to tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being treated with Zeldox IM.
Other side effects not listed below may also occur in some people.
Tell your doctor if...
The following list shows common side effects of Zeldox IM. Some of these side effects may affect up to 1 in 10 people, whereas others are less common.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice any of the following physical problems and they worry you.
weakness or loss of strength
palpitations or a fast heart rate
dizziness on standing up, especially when getting up from a sitting or lying position
pain or irritation where the injection is given
headache
constipation
diarrhoea
dry mouth
feeling sick (nausea)
vomiting
loss of appetite
difficulties breathing
difficulties speaking
excessive sweating
flushing
muscle stiffness
involuntary muscle spasms
blurred vision
male sexual dysfunction.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice any of the following mental or emotional problems and they worry you:
drowsiness or sleepiness
trouble sleeping
restlessness or difficulty sitting still
dizziness, blackouts or feeling faint
anxiety or agitation
loss of control of your bladder
unusual secretion of breast milk.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have a persistent painful erection of the penis without sexual arousal.
Tell your doctor immediately if...
The following list includes serious side effects which may require medical attention.
Do not be alarmed as you may not experience any of them.
Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you notice:
any worm-like movements of the tongue
any other uncontrolled movements of the tongue, mouth, cheeks or jaw
any uncontrolled movements spreading to the arms and legs.
These are symptoms of a condition called tardive dyskinesia. Tardive dyskinesia is more likely in people who have been given Zeldox IM or taking other antipsychotic medications for a long time. If detected early, it is usually reversible. Your doctor will decide whether to lower your dose or stop the medicine completely.
Get emergency attention if...
The following list contains very serious side effects. These symptoms can also sometimes happen after you stop Zeldox IM treatment. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.
If any of the following happen, tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
convulsions, fits or seizures
trembling and shaking of the hands and fingers
shuffling walk and stiffness of the arms and legs
sudden uncontrollable muscle spasms in the eyes, head, neck and body
sudden signs of allergy - including skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips or tongue, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
pain and swelling in the large veins of your legs or hip
sharp chest pain, shortness of breath or and coughing up blood
Experience symptoms of a condition called Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) which include:
high fever
fast breathing
stiff muscles
confusion, drowsiness or sleepiness.
Talk to your doctor or mental health professional if you have thoughts or talk about death, suicide or self-harm.
These may be signs of changes or worsening in your mental illness.
Product description
What it looks like
Zeldox IM is supplied to the hospital as a sterile powder for injection, with an ampoule of Water for Injections.
The hospital will mix the Zeldox IM and Water for Injections to produce a solution containing ziprasidone 20 mg/mL.
Ingredients
Zeldox IM contains the active ingredient ziprasidone.
The inactive ingredients are:
sulfobutyl betadex sodium (SBECD)
Water for Injections.
