Geodon Side Effects

Generic name: ziprasidone

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 11, 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

Precautions

Your doctor will check your progress after you receive this medicine to make sure that it is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Do not use this medicine together with amiodarone (Cordarone®), arsenic trioxide, chlorpromazine (Thorazine®), disopyramide (Norpace®), dofetilide (Tikosyn®), dolasetron mesylate (Anzemet®), droperidol (Inapsine®), gatifloxacin (Tequin®), halofantrine, levomethadyl acetate, mefloquine (Lariam®), mesoridazine (Serentil®), moxifloxacin (Avelox®), pentamidine (Nebupent®), pimozide (Orap®), probucol, procainamide (Pronestyl®), quinidine (Cardioquin®), sotalol (Betapase®), sparfloxacin (Zagam®), tacrolimus (Prograf®), or thioridazine (Mellaril®). Using these medicines together may cause serious unwanted effects.

This medicine can cause changes in the heart rhythm, such as a condition called QT prolongation. It may change the way your heart beats and cause fainting or serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of heart rhythm problems, such as fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeats.

Check with your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms: convulsions (seizures), difficulty with breathing, a fast heartbeat, a high fever, high or low blood pressure, increased sweating, loss of bladder control, severe muscle stiffness, unusually pale skin, or tiredness. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS).

If you develop a skin rash, hives, or any allergic reaction to this medicine, check with your doctor as soon as possible.

Check with your doctor right away if you have a fever, chills, cough, sore throat, swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin, or yellow skin or eyes while using this medicine. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS).

Serious skin reactions can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, peeling, or loose skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills while you are using this medicine.

This medicine may cause tardive dyskinesia (a movement disorder). Check with your doctor right away if you have lip smacking or puckering, puffing of the cheeks, rapid or worm-like movements of the tongue, uncontrolled chewing movements, or uncontrolled movements of the arms and legs while you are using this medicine.

This medicine may increase the amount of sugar in your blood. Check with your doctor right away if you have increased thirst or increased urination. If you have diabetes, you may notice a change in the results of your urine or blood sugar tests. If you have any questions, check with your doctor.

Ziprasidone can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor right away if you think you are getting an infection, or you have a fever or chills, a cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.

This medicine may cause some people to become drowsy or dizzy, or may cause trouble with thinking or controlling body movements, which may lead to falls, fractures, or other injuries. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that requires you to be alert, well-coordinated, or able to think well.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting may occur, especially when you get up suddenly from a lying or sitting position. Getting up slowly may help. If the problem continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.

Ziprasidone injection may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies. If you or your caregiver notice any of these side effects, tell your doctor right away.

You may get overheated more easily while you are using this medicine. Be careful if you exercise often or are exposed to high temperatures or humidity. Drink more water and stay out of the sun.

Avoid drinking alcohol while you are using this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

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:

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:

See also:

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