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What Is Ziprasidone Used For?
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from eMedTV.comZiprasidone and Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a serious brain disease that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy, and functioning. Currently, it is thought that bipolar disorder may be at least partially genetic (see Bipolar Causes). Bipolar disorder is different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through -- the symptoms of bipolar disorder are more severe. Episodes of mania and depression typically recur throughout the affected person's lifespan. Between episodes, most people with bipolar disorder are free of symptoms (see Bipolar Disorder Symptoms). Effective bipolar disorder treatment usually involves a combination of psychotherapy (see Bipolar Psychosocial Treatments) and bipolar medications.
Ziprasidone is approved to treat acute episodes of mania or mixed episodes (which involve symptoms of both mania and depression). It is also approved for maintenance treatment (long-term treatment to stabilize moods) when used along with lithium.
Ziprasidone has not been approved for treating bipolar disorder in children or for treating childhood schizophrenia. Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of using ziprasidone in children.
On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend ziprasidone for treating something other than the conditions discussed above. This is called an "off-label" use. Some examples of off-label ziprasidone uses include:
- Treatment of behavior problems in elderly people with dementia
- Treatment of other behavior problems
- Treatment of Tourette syndrome.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD