Severe Motility Disturbance after Small Doses of Prochlorperazine

Abstract

PROCHLORPERAZINE,‡ a phenothiazine derivative, has been shown to be an effective antiemetic and antinauseant in dosages approximately half those of chlorpromazine¹ and is being used in many conditions in which nausea and vomiting are problems. Motor symptoms of a bizarre dystonic type resembling Parkinson's disease and including spasm of the neck muscles, extensor rigidity of the back muscles, carpopedal spasm, trismus and difficulty in swallowing have been reported^{2 , 3} as untoward side effects of prochlorperazine therapy, but such effects are generally considered to be mild and to be associated with the higher dosages of the medication (exceeding 60 mg. daily).2 In . . .