List of adverse effects of chlorpromazine

Chlorpromazine includes the following list of adverse effects (serious adverse effects appear in bold):[Note 1][1][2][3][4][5]

## Very common

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* Sedation (cf. "Thorazine shuffle" – a shuffling gait due to sedation)
* Somnolence
* Extrapyramidal symptoms[Note 2]
* Weight gain
* Orthostatic hypotension[Note 3]
* Dry mouth
* Constipation

## Common

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* ECG changes[Note 4]
* Contact dermatitis
* Sensitivity to light
* Urticaria (hives)
* Maculopapular rash
* Petechia or edema
* Hyperprolactinaemia[Note 5]
* Impaired thermoregulation[Note 6]
* Hyperglycaemia[Note 7]
* Other hypothalamic abnormalities[Note 8]
* Blurred vision
* Confusion
* Raised ANA titre
* Positive SLE cells
* Mydriasis[Note 9]
* Atonic colon
* Seizure[Note 10]
* Agitation (restlessness)
* Stably and for life, alters natural processes in the biological systems of the mitochondria of the nervous system.[6][7]
* Inhibits the efficiency of the electron transport chain.[8][9]
* Pain at the injection site
* Injection site abscess

## Uncommon

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* Miosis[Note 11]
* Urinary retention[Note 12]
* Nasal congestion
* Nausea
* Obstipation
* Arrhythmias
* Skin pigmentation
* Glycosuria[Note 13]
* Hypoglycaemia[Note 14]
* Paralytic ileus

## Rare

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* Agranulocytosis[Note 15]
* Haemolytic anaemia[Note 16]
* Aplastic anaemia[Note 17]
* A-V block[Note 18]
* Hypertensive crises[Note 19]
* Thrombocytopenic purpura
* Exfoliative dermatitis
* Toxic epidermal necrolysis[Note 20]
* Systemic lupus erythematosus[Note 21]
* Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)[Note 22]
* Water retention
* Cholestatic jaundice
* Liver injury
* Neuroleptic malignant syndrome[Note 23]
* Myasthenia gravis[Note 24]

## Unknown frequency

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* Leucopaenia[Note 25]
* Eosinophilia[Note 26]
* Pancytopaenia[Note 27]
* Priapism[Note 28]
* Photophobia[Note 29]
* Corneal deposits
* Respiratory depression[Note 30]
* Ventricular tachycardia
* QT interval prolongation
* Atrial fibrilation
* Hyperthermia[Note 31]
* Hypothermia[Note 32]
* Galactorrhoea[Note 33]
* Breast enlargement in either sex
* False-positive pregnancy tests
* Allergic reaction
* Fits
* Cerebral oedema[Note 34]
* Urinary incontinence
* Coagulation defects
* Nightmares
* Abnormality of cerebrospinal fluid proteins
* Dysphoria[Note 35]
* Catatonic excitement
* Narrow angle glaucoma
* Optic atrophy
* Pigmentary retinopathy
* Amenorrhoea[Note 36]
* Infertility
* Tardive dyskinesia[Note 37]

## Notes

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1. ^ Data on the exact incidence of the different adverse effects is greatly lacking so only rough approximations of adverse effect incidence is available
2. ^ Refer to main text below for details on this adverse effect
3. ^ A drop in blood pressure that results from standing up
4. ^ A disturbance in the electrical cycle of the heart
5. ^ Elevated serum levels of the lactation-related hormone prolactin. This in turn can result, in the short term, at least, in galactorrhoea (lactation that is unrelated to pregnancy or breastfeeding), gynaecomastia (swollen breast tissue), sexual dysfunction and amenorrhoea (the absence of the menstrual period in women). Whereas in the long-term hyperprolactinaemia can result in osteoporosis (brittle bones).
6. ^ An impaired ability to regulate one's body temperature
7. ^ High blood glucose (sugar) levels
8. ^ The hypothalamus of the brain regulates the release of a number of hormones as well as a few "housekeeping" functions such as tight control over body temperature
9. ^ Widening (dilation) of the pupils
10. ^ Refer to the text below for details
11. ^ Constriction of the pupils of the eyes
12. ^ Being unable to pass urine
13. ^ Glucose (sugar) in the urine due to there being too much glucose in the blood for the kidneys to reabsorb it all when filtrate goes through loop of henle in the nephrons of the kidney.
14. ^ Low blood glucose (sugar)
15. ^ Basically an exaggerated form of leucopaenia. It occurs when the white blood cell (WBC) count drops below 5% of the norm
16. ^ Where the number of red blood cells of the body die breakdown to an abnormal extent. These cells carry oxygen across the body from the lungs
17. ^ Where the bone marrow stops adequately (in order to replenish the blood cells that die off every day) producing new blood cells
18. ^ An abnormality in the electrical activity of the heart which can lead to potentially fatal changes in heart rhythm
19. ^ Dangerously (in the short-term) high blood pressure
20. ^ A dangerous skin reaction
21. ^ An autoimmune reaction
22. ^ A potentially fatal collection of symptoms (i.e. syndrome) that results from an abnormally excessive release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). This in turn increases the reabsorption of
23. ^ A potentially fatal condition that is caused by dopamine receptor-blocking agents such as antipsychotics. It develops over a period of days or weeks and is characterised by rigidity, tremor, diarrhoea, tachycardia, altered mental status (e.g. confusion, mania, hallucinations, etc.) and hyperthermia (high body temperature)
24. ^ An autoimmune condition in of which the body's defences attack the neuromuscular junction – the gap between muscle and nerve cells across which the nerves send messages to the muscle cells
25. ^ An abnormally low number of white blood cells in the blood. These cells defend the body from infections and hence this can heighten one's risk of infections
26. ^ An abnormally high number of eosinophils – the cells of the immune system that defends the body from parasites
27. ^ An abnormally low number of all three major groups of blood cells including the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets
28. ^ A painful and sustained (usually a few hours) erection
29. ^ Fear of light
30. ^ A reduction in the normal homeostatic breathing reaction to reductions in plasmacarbon dioxide levels
31. ^ High body temperature
32. ^ Low body temperature
33. ^ Lactation that is unassociated with lactation or breastfeeding
34. ^ The accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the brain
35. ^ Basically the opposite to euphoria
36. ^ The absence of menstrual periods
37. ^ An often irreversible and sometimes even fatal movement disorder characterised by involuntary, repetitive and purposeless movements of the face, extremities, lips or tongue. Usually takes a number of years to develop but in some it can appear within months or less since the initiation of antipsychotic treatment

## References

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1. ^ "PRODUCT INFORMATION LARGACTIL" (PDF). TGA eBusiness Services. Sanofi Aventis Pty Ltd. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
2. ^ "Chlorpromazine Hydrochloride 100mg/5ml Oral Syrup - Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC)". electronic Medicines Compendium. Rosemont Pharmaceuticals Limited. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
3. ^ "CHLORPROMAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE tablet, film coated [Sandoz Inc]". DailyMed. Sandoz Inc. October 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
4. ^ "CHLORPROMAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE injection [West-ward Pharmaceutical Corp.]". DailyMed. West-ward Pharmaceutical Corp. June 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
5. ^ "Largactil Injection - Summary of Product Characteristics". electronic Medicines Compendium. Sanofi. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
6. ^ A number of doctors and scientists, including psychiatrist and Narcological doctor Alexander Danilin and biochemist Albert Szent-Györgyi, claim that Chlorpromazine stably and for life alters natural processes in the biological systems of the mitochondria of the nervous system, and inhibits the efficiency of the electron transport chain.
7. ^ "Bioenergetics by Szent-Györgyi, Albert. 1893-1986". New York, Academic Press. 1957.
8. ^ "Danilin A.G.: Beware of psychiatry: myths, neuroleptics and children". youtube.com. 13 April 2011.
9. ^ Chan, S.; McCarthy, M.; Vawter, M. P. (2019). "Psychiatric drugs impact mitochondrial function in brain and other tissues". Schizophrenia Research. 217: 136–147\. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2019.09.007. PMC 7228833. PMID 31744750.