Cisordinol (Zuclopenthixol) - Drug Profile
Cisordinol is an antipsychotic medication used for treating acute mania and schizophrenia, NOT hypertension. The question appears to contain a fundamental error—cisordinol has no role in cardiovascular disease management and should never be used for blood pressure control. 1
Primary Indications
Cisordinol (Cis-Z-clopenthixol) is indicated for severe manic episodes and acute schizophrenic disorders, with demonstrated efficacy in reducing formal thought disorders, agitation, logorrhea, and tension. 1
The drug is the isolated cis-isomer of the clopenthixol racemate, requiring approximately 50% of the parent drug's dosage range. 1
Dosing and Administration
Dosing ranges from 10-160 mg daily, administered either intravenously or orally depending on clinical severity. 1
The drug can be given intravenously with good tolerability, which is advantageous in acute psychiatric emergencies. 1
Adverse Effects Profile
Extrapyramidal symptoms are common—more than 50% of patients require anti-Parkinsonian medication during treatment. 1
Sedative effects are generally slight and of short duration, which may be advantageous compared to other antipsychotics. 1
The drug demonstrates minimal incidence and severity of side effects overall based on Clinical Global Impression (CGI) ratings. 1
Critical Safety Considerations
Cisordinol has NO cardiovascular therapeutic benefit and should NEVER be confused with cardiovascular medications such as cilostazol (which has a similar-sounding name but is used for intermittent claudication). 2
There is no evidence supporting cisordinol use in elderly patients with heart conditions or hypertension—this would represent a dangerous medication error. 1
Common Prescribing Pitfall
The most critical error would be confusing cisordinol with cilostazol or other cardiovascular agents. Cilostazol is contraindicated in heart failure and has significant cardiovascular effects including increased heart rate and myocardial contractility. 2 Cisordinol, by contrast, is purely a psychiatric medication with no antihypertensive properties whatsoever. 1