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What does it do?

Ziprasidone is used to treat and prevent some mental health problems such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Before you start

  • Tell your doctor if you have heart or liver problems.
  • Tell your doctor if you have diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, have ever had a seizure, blood clot, stroke or ‘mini-stroke’, or if you have experienced strange body movements with another medicine.
  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
  • Your doctor may do a heart test (ECG) before you start and while you are taking ziprasidone.

How should you take it?

Take ziprasidone regularly as directed with food and a glass of water.

What if you forget a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as possible. If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and carry on as normal. Do not take two doses at the same time.

Can you take other medicines?

Some medicines available without a prescription may react with ziprasidone including:

  • some antihistamines (may be in anti-allergy, anti-nausea and cough/cold medicines)
  • anti-nausea medicines (e.g. prochlorperazine, hyoscine (e.g. Scopoderm TTS®), meclozine (e.g. Sea-legs®)

Tell your pharmacist or doctor about all medicines or treatments that you may be taking, including vitamins, herbal products (e.g. kava, St John's wort) or recreational drugs.

What side effects might you notice?

Side EffectsRecommended action

Fever, stiffness, sweating, confusion

Feeling restless, strange or uncontrolled movements, tremor

Fast or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, fainting

Symptoms of a blood clot including: sudden shortness of breath, swelling or pain in one leg

Seizures

Prolonged erection (longer than four hours)

Tell your doctor immediately

Drowsiness, dizziness, tiredness or weakness, headache, anxiety, trouble sleeping

Weight gain

More saliva than usual, drooling

Stomach upset

Peeing when you don’t want to

Changes in periods

Sore or enlarged breasts, breastmilk production

Less interest in sex, impotence

Tell your doctor if troublesome

If you notice any other effects, discuss them with your doctor or pharmacist.

Other information:

  • Ziprasidone can impair your ability to do tasks such as driving or using machines. Alcohol makes this worse. Discuss your risk with your health professional. (search NZTA - Are you safe to drive?)
  • Ziprasidone reduces your body’s ability to maintain a normal temperature. Be careful of becoming too cold or too hot. When exercising, drink plenty of water.
  • You have an increased risk of getting diabetes while taking ziprasidone. Discuss with your doctor.
  • Do not stop taking ziprasidone without talking to your doctor first.

This leaflet contains important, but not all, information about this medicine.

Prepared by the MyMedicines Committee at Christchurch Hospital, Te Whatu Ora - Waitaha, New Zealand. March 2023

For more general information about this sheet and its contents, see: What does a My Medicines sheet cover?

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About My Medicines

My Medicines Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) contain important, but not all, information about the medicines they describe.

For more information about the sheets, see: What does a My Medicines sheet cover?

My Medicines is developed by a team at Te Whatu Ora – Waitaha. Our team is made up of doctors, pharmacists, and a non-medical person to help us keep to plain language. We also discuss our information with specialist health professionals or groups when needed