Perphenazine Dosage

Usual Adult Dose for Psychosis

For moderately disturbed, nonhospitalized patients:
Tablets: 4 to 8 mg three times daily. The dose should be reduced as soon as possible to the minimum effective dose.

For hospitalized psychotic patients:
Tablets: 8 to 16 mg two to three times daily. Avoid dosages in excess of 64 mg daily.
Concentrate: 8 to 16 mg two to four times daily. Avoid dosages in excess of 64 mg daily.
Prolonged administration of doses exceeding 24 mg daily should be reserved for hospitalized patients or patients under continued observation for early detection and management of adverse reactions.

For patients requiring prompt control or in whom oral administration is not feasible:
5 mg by deep IM injection. May repeat every six hours, not to exceed a daily dosage of 15 mg in ambulatory patients or 30 mg in hospitalized patients. If necessary, an initial 10 mg IM dose may be administered for symptoms of severe psychosis.

Usual Adult Dose for Nausea/Vomiting

For severe nausea and vomiting:
Tablets: 8 to 16 mg daily in divided doses, up to 24 mg if necessary. Early dose reduction is desirable.
Prolonged administration of doses exceeding 24 mg daily should be reserved for hospitalized patients or patients under continued observation for early detection and management of adverse reactions.

For patients requiring prompt control or in whom oral administration is not feasible:
5 mg by deep IM injection, may repeat every six hours. If necessary, an initial 10 mg IM dose may be administered for severe symptoms. In general, higher dosages should only be given to hospitalized patients.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Psychosis

>12 years:
For moderately disturbed, nonhospitalized patients:
Tablets: 4 mg three times daily. The dose should be reduced as soon as possible to the minimum effective dose.

For hospitalized psychotic patients:
Tablets: 8 mg two times daily.

For patients requiring prompt control or in whom oral administration is not feasible:
5 mg by deep IM injection.. May repeat every six hours.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Nausea/Vomiting

>12 years:
For severe nausea and vomiting:
Tablets: 8 mg daily in divided doses. Early dose reduction is desirable.

For patients requiring prompt control or in whom oral administration is not feasible:
5 mg by deep IM injection. May repeat every six hours.

Renal Dose Adjustments

Data not available.

Liver Dose Adjustments

Data not available.

Dose Adjustments

Although patients have been maintained on parenteral therapy for several months, oral therapy should be initiated as soon as possible. Equal or higher doses should be used when the patient is transferred from injectable therapy to oral therapy.

Dosages must be individualized according to the severity of the condition and the response obtained. The best dose is the lowest dose that will produce the desired clinical effect.

Precautions

The injection should be given with the patient seated or recumbent, and the patient should be observed for a short period after the administration.

Dialysis

Data not available.

Other Comments

If extrapyramidal symptoms occur during treatment, an antiparkinsonian agent such as trihexyphenidyl or benztropine may be used.