Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking ziprasidone as follows:
- Ziprasidone can induce some dizziness and make one drowsy. Ziprasidone carries the risk of lowering the blood pressure, leading to episodes of hypotension that can contribute to the dizziness caused by the medication. Starting the medication at a low dose and gradually increasing the dose, to help optimum control of your symptoms, can contribute to reducing the risk for drowsiness and dizziness due to the medication. If the dizziness becomes bothersome, report it to your physician and other health care personnel, for any change in plan of care to be considered. Stay away from activities, such as, driving and operating heavy machinery, until they are used to the side effects caused by ziprasidone.
- Ziprasidone can interact with a lot of other medications, leading to serious drug interactions and side-effects. If you are being newly started on ziprasidone, discuss with your physician regarding all your current medications and their safety with ziprasidone. Also, notify your physician regarding any current ziprasidone intake, if you are being started on any new medications and discuss their safety with ziprasidone.
- Ziprasidone intake carries the risk of lowering the threshold for seizures, thereby, resulting in seizure activity, especially in individuals with history of the same. Notify your doctor of any worsening seizure episodes, so that, a change in your plan of care could be considered.
