What Is Chlorpromazine Used For? (Cont.)

How Chlorpromazine Works

Chlorpromazine belongs to a group of medications called typical (or first-generation) antipsychotic medications. In particular, it is part of a group of medications called phenothiazines. It is not entirely clear how chlorpromazine works. However, it is known that chlorpromazine blocks or lessens the effects of dopamine, a chemical in the brain. Dopamine may be elevated in people with schizophrenia. Chlorpromazine is not a cure for schizophrenia; it only helps to control symptoms (see Symptoms of Schizophrenia).
 
Since dopamine can activate the part of the brain that controls nausea and vomiting, chlorpromazine can treat severe nausea and vomiting by lessening the effects of dopamine in the brain.
 

Is Chlorpromazine Used in Children?

Chlorpromazine is approved to treat behavior problems in children as young as one year old. It can also be used to treat restlessness or worry before surgery, as well as nausea or vomiting, in children. Talk with your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of using chlorpromazine in children.
 

Is Chlorpromazine Used for Off-Label Purposes?

On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend chlorpromazine for treating something other than the conditions discussed above. This is called an "off-label" use. Some examples of off-label chlorpromazine uses include the treatment of the following conditions:
 
  • Agitation
  • Dementia
  • Migraine headaches
  • Neonatal abstinence syndrome (withdrawal symptoms in babies born to mothers with drug problems).

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;