Uses Of Sulpiride And Its Associated Side Effects
Mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and anxiety, can greatly affect people’s lives. Fortunately, there are drugs that help regulate the level of neurotransmitters in the brain. One of the drugs used in these situations is sulpiride. Discover the uses of sulpiride and its side effects!
Sulpiride is a drug with neuroleptic properties, with an effect on dopamine. Helps treat psychosis. It is considered one of the classic antipsychotics, belonging to the benzamide group. Studies show that it has fewer side effects than other compounds in the same group.
What are the uses of sulpiride?
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating several brain functions, such as behavior, cognition, and motivation. Increasing or decreasing its level in different regions of the brain generates various pathologies.
Sulpiride is a dopamine receptor antagonist in the brain. This means that the drug blocks the receptors, preventing dopamine from binding to them. Sulpiride reduces the levels of the neurotransmitter in the brain, thus alleviating the symptoms of mental illness.
One of the main pathologies generated by the change in dopamine levels is psychosis. Psychoses are mental health disorders in which people lose touch with reality and have illusions or hallucinations. The main clinical use of sulpiride is the treatment of schizophrenia.
Multiple studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the compound in reducing the symptoms of schizophrenia, especially negative symptoms. Sulpiride has also been shown to be useful in the treatment of other pathologies of various types, including the following:
- Anxiety
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- vertigo
- Neurotic somatizations
- Depression that does not respond to conventional treatment
- Phobias
How is sulpiride given?
Sulpiride can be taken orally as capsules, tablets or solutions. It is also available as intramuscular injections. The drug can be taken at any time of the day, although it is better before meals.
The required dose will depend on the pathology to be treated and the route of administration. Sulpiride treatments for neurosis and vertigo are similar. People should take 50 to 100 milligrams of the drug every 8 hours. The dose needed to control the symptoms is about 150-300 milligrams a day.
On the other hand, the treatment of schizophrenia and psychosis involves much higher doses. People should consume between 100 and 400 milligrams of the compound every 6 hours. The required daily dose can vary between 400 and 1600 milligrams.
Intramuscular sulpiride injections are used to treat acute and chronic psychosis. These are part of the initial approach and should be administered for at least 2 weeks. The dose will vary between 2 and 8 ampoules per day.
What are the side effects of sulpiride?
All drugs currently on the market are capable of causing side effects. The side effects of sulpiride are common but moderate. They are usually limited to the central nervous system, with sedation and drowsiness being the most common.
Consumption of this drug may also have effects on the cardiovascular system. Sulpiride is able to generate postural hypotension and various types of arrhythmias. It is also associated with weight gain, blurred vision, dry mouth, constipation, rashes and thrombus formation.
Studies have shown that the intake of this drug increases the risk of suffering from extrapyramidal syndrome and hyperprolactinemia. Under normal conditions, dopamine inhibits the secretion of a hormone called prolactin . By inhibiting dopamine receptors, blood prolactin levels increase.
Contraindications
One of the main problems is hypersensitivity to the active substance or to the excipients of the drug. Taking the medicine can trigger a life-threatening allergic reaction.
The use of this drug is contraindicated during pregnancy. It is able to cross the placenta and breast milk and can cause unwanted effects on the baby.
In addition, sulpiride is contraindicated in other diseases:
- Prolactin-dependent tumors, such as breast cancer
- pheochromocytoma
- Cardiovascular disorders involving QT prolongation.
There are circumstances that may alter the effects of the medicine. In this regard, we should pay attention to people with kidney failure. Patients with seizures, strokes and thromboembolisms should also be careful.
Interaction of sulpiride with other drugs
Many drugs are capable of cross-reactions with other compounds. Thus, people should be extremely careful when taking sulpiride together with other medicinal substances.
One of the major drug interactions of sulpiride is with levodopa. In fact, simultaneous consumption is contraindicated. Both drugs act on the same receptors in the brain.
Another substance that interacts with sulpiride is grapefruit or grapepfruit juice. It is an enzyme inducer, ie it stimulates liver enzymes and increases the metabolism of drugs. The drug will have a shorter half-life.
In addition, there are certain combinations that can cause side effects. An example is alcohol, which can increase the sedative effect of the drug.
In addition, certain compounds may increase the risk of arrhythmias, extrapyramidal syndrome, and hypotension, including the following:
- Beta-blockers
- Calcium channel antagonists
- Diuretics
- Some antiarrhythmics
- Lithium salts
- Antidepressants such as imipramine
Antacids with magnesium or aluminum salts decrease the bioavailability of the drug. Thus, sulpiride should be consumed at least 2 hours before them to avoid interactions.
A useful drug with multiple interactions: the uses of sulpiride
Sulpiride is a very useful drug in the treatment of psychosis and neurosis. It is also useful in treating other conditions such as dizziness and depression.
Unfortunately, it has several side effects as well as various drug interactions. In this regard, it is essential that you do not take sulpiride without a prescription. The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and will in no way replace the opinion of a specialist. Follow your doctor’s instructions for using sulpiride.
