Geodon Side Effects

Generic name: ziprasidone

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 16, 2025.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Geodon Side Effects associated with ziprasidone. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Geodon.

Applies to ziprasidone: intramuscular powder for solution.

Other dosage forms:

• oral capsule

Important warnings This medicine can cause some serious health issues

Intramuscular route (powder for solution)

Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death.

Ziprasidone mesylate is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis.

Serious side effects of Geodon

Along with its needed effects, ziprasidone (the active ingredient contained in Geodon) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking ziprasidone:

More common side effects

• chills
• cold sweats
• confusion

Less common side effects

• anxiety
• bleeding or bloody stools
• blurred vision
• breathing too fast
• burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
• change in personality
• chest pain or discomfort
• cough
• diarrhea
• difficulty with speaking
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
• drooling
• dry mouth
• feeling of warmth or heat
• feeling, seeing, or hearing things that are not there
• fever
• flushing or redness of the skin, especially on the face and neck
• general feeling of discomfort or illness
• irritability
• joint pain
• loss of appetite
• loss of balance control
• multiple swollen and inflamed skin lesions
• muscle aches and pains
• muscle discomfort
• muscle tension or tightness
• muscle trembling, jerking, or stiffness
• nausea
• painful or prolonged erection of the penis
• pounding in the ears
• restlessness
• rigid or stiff muscles
• runny nose
• severe mood or mental changes
• shaking
• shivering
• shuffling walk
• slow or fast heartbeat
• sore throat
• stiffness of the limbs or muscles
• sweating
• trouble sleeping
• twisting movements of the body
• uncontrolled movements, especially of the face, neck, and back
• unusual behavior
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• vomiting

Rare side effects

• actions that are out of control
• convulsions
• difficulty with breathing
• high fever
• high or low blood pressure
• hives or itching
• lip smacking or puckering
• loss of bladder control
• overactive reflexes
• poor coordination
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• rapid or worm-like movements of the tongue
• talking or acting with excitement you cannot control
• trembling
• twitching
• unexpected or excess milk flow from the breasts
• unusually pale skin

Other side effects of Geodon

Some side effects of ziprasidone may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common side effects

• pain at the site of injection
• sleepiness or unusual drowsiness

Less common side effects

• acid or sour stomach
• back pain
• belching
• constipation
• cramps
• heartburn
• heavy bleeding
• inability to sit still
• indigestion
• need to keep moving
• pain
• sneezing
• stomach discomfort, upset, or pain
• stuffy nose
• tooth disorder
• weight loss

For healthcare professionals

Applies to ziprasidone: intramuscular powder for injection, oral capsule.

General adverse events

The most commonly reported adverse events included somnolence, respiratory tract infections, extrapyramidal symptoms, dizziness, akathisia, abnormal vision, asthenia, vomiting, headache, and nausea.^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Thirst, increased appetite, hypercholesteremia, dehydration, hyperglycemia, hypokalemia
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Hypocalcemia, hyperlipidemia, hyperkalemia, hypochloremia, hypoglycemia, hyponatremia, hypoproteinemia, gout, hyperchloremia, hyperuricemia, hypomagnesemia, ketosis^[Ref]

Weight gain of 7% or more was statistically significantly greater among patients with schizophrenia receiving ziprasidone (the active ingredient contained in Geodon) in a pooled analysis of four 4 and 6 week placebo-controlled trials (10% versus 4%). The median weight gain was 0.5 kg among all ziprasidone patients compared with no weight gain in the placebo patients.^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Headache (18%), extrapyramidal symptoms (31%), somnolence (14%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Akathisia, dizziness, dyskinesia, dystonia, headache, sedation, tremor, hypertonia, speech disorder
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Ataxia, bradykinesia, cogwheel rigidity, disturbance in attention, dizziness postural, drooling, dysarthria, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, hyperkinesia, hypersomnia, hypoesthesia, lethargy, oculogyric crisis, paresthesia, tardive dyskinesia, amnesia, buccoglossal syndrome, choreoathetosis, diplopia, incoordination, neuropathy
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Akinesis, paresis, restless legs syndrome, torticollis, paralysis
• Postmarketing reports: Facial droop, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, serotonin syndrome (alone or in combination with serotonergic products), tardive dyskinesia^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Constipation, dry mouth, nausea, thick tongue, vomiting, dyspepsia, diarrhea, anorexia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Gastrointestinal discomfort, salivary hypersecretion, dysphagia, flatulence, gastritis, rectal hemorrhage, tongue edema
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Gastroesophageal reflux, loose stools, gum hemorrhage, fecal impaction, hematemesis, leukoplakia of mouth, melena
• Postmarketing reports: Dysphagia, swollen tongue^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Respiratory tract infection, increased cough, rhinitis
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Dyspnea, sore throat, pneumonia, epistaxis
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Hiccups, hemoptysis, laryngismus^[Ref]

Collective data gathered from 17 placebo-controlled clinical studies (n=5106) involving the use of atypical antipsychotic agents for the treatment of behavioral disorders in the elderly patient with dementia showed a risk of death 1.6 to 1.7 times greater in the drug-treated patient than in the placebo-treated patient. The average length of duration for the trials was 10 weeks with the cause of death in the majority of cases, though not all, reported as either cardiovascular (e.g., heart failure, sudden death) or infectious (e.g., pneumonia) in nature. Although ziprasidone was not included in these studies, the consistent findings across all three relevant chemical classes support the opinion that these findings are likely to be applicable to all atypical antipsychotic agents. Ziprasidone is not approved by the FDA for use in the treatment of behavioral disorders in elderly patients with dementia.^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Common (1% to 10%): Chest pain, tachycardia, postural hypotension, hypertension
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Right bundle branch block, palpitation, bradycardia, angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation, peripheral edema
• Rare (less than 0.1%): ECG QTc prolonged, increased pulse, first degree AV block, bundle branch block, phlebitis, pulmonary embolism, cardiomegaly, cerebral infarct, cerebrovascular accident, deep thrombophlebitis, myocarditis, thrombophlebitis
• Postmarketing reports: Torsades de pointes, postural hypotension, hypotension, syncope, venous thromboembolism^[Ref]

Collective data gathered from 17 placebo-controlled clinical studies (n=5106) involving the use of atypical antipsychotic agents for the treatment of behavioral disorders in the elderly patient with dementia showed a risk of death 1.6 to 1.7 times greater in the drug-treated patient than in the placebo-treated patient. The average length of duration for the trials was 10 weeks with the cause of death in the majority of cases, though not all, reported as either cardiovascular (e.g., heart failure, sudden death) or infectious (e.g., pneumonia) in nature. Although ziprasidone (the active ingredient contained in Geodon) was not included in these studies, the consistent findings across all three relevant chemical classes support the opinion that these findings are likely to be applicable to all atypical antipsychotic agents. Ziprasidone is not indicated for use in the treatment of behavioral disorders in elderly patients with dementia.

In a study evaluating the QT prolonging effect of oral ziprasidone with other drugs used in the treatment of schizophrenia, the mean increase in QTc from baseline ranged from 9 to 14 seconds which was greater than 4 of the comparator drugs (risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, and haloperidol) but was approximately 14 seconds less than thioridazine.^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Postmarketing reports: Allergic reaction^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Rash, fungal dermatitis, face edema, photosensitivity reaction, sweating
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Acne, maculopapular rash, urticaria, eczema, exfoliative dermatitis, vesiculobullous rash
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Alopecia, dermatitis allergic, erythema, psoriasis, skin irritation, swelling face, rash papular
• Frequency not reported: Severe cutaneous adverse reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome
• Postmarketing reports: Angioedema, rash, Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS)^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Common (1% to 10%): Restlessness, insomnia, agitation
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Anxiety, throat tightness, nightmare
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Anorgasmia, bradyphrenia, flat affect, panic attack, sleep walking
• Postmarketing reports: Mania/hypomania^[Ref]

Ocular

• Common (1% to 10%): Blurred vision, abnormal vision
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Photophobia, conjunctivitis, dry eyes, blepharitis, cataract
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Amblyopia, eye pruritus, visual disturbance, eye hemorrhage, visual field defect, keratitis, keratoconjunctivitis^[Ref]

Endocrine

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Impotence, abnormal ejaculation, female lactation,
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Erectile dysfunction, increased erection, galactorrhea, gynecomastia, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, female sexual dysfunction
• Postmarketing reports: Priapism^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Common (1% to 10%): Musculoskeletal stiffness, myalgia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Joint stiffness, muscle cramps, extremity pain, tenosynovitis
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Arthropathy, musculoskeletal discomfort, trismus, myopathy^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Dysuria, urinary incontinence, amenorrhea, hematuria, menorrhagia, polyuria, urinary retention metrorrhagia
• Rare (less than 0.1%): vaginal hemorrhage, nocturia, oliguria, uterine hemorrhage
• Postmarketing reports: Enuresis, urinary incontinence^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Anemia, ecchymosis, leukocytosis, leukopenia, eosinophilia, lymphadenopathy
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Lymphopenia, increased eosinophil count, abnormal eosinophil count, thrombocytopenia, hypochromic anemia, lymphocytosis, monocytosis, basophilia, lymphedema, polycythemia, thrombocythemia^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hepatic enzyme increased, alkaline phosphatase increased, Rare (less than 0.1%): Abnormal liver function test, jaundice, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase increased, cholestatic jaundice, hepatitis, hepatomegaly, fatty liver deposit^[Ref]

Other

• Common (1% to 10%): Asthenia, accidental injury, fatigue, fever, chills, hypothermia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal gait, tinnitus
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Ear pain, vertigo positional, body temperature increased^[Ref]

Local

Local side effects associated with intramuscular ziprasidone (the active ingredient contained in Geodon) have frequently included pain at the injection site.^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Flu syndrome^[Ref]

Frequently asked questions

• What drugs cause tardive dyskinesia?

Further information

Geodon side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer