What is Nuplazid?

Nuplazid Dosage, forms & strengths

Medically reviewed by Jamie Winn, PharmD

Complete a free online enrollment application to find out if you’re eligible to pay only $49 per month for your Nuplazid medication.

Get started today

Nuplazid (pimavanserin) is an atypical antipsychotic medication that is manufactured by Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved this medication to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis. With hallucinations, you see, hear, or feel things that are not really there. With delusions, you believe something that isn’t true even if you are shown evidence that you are wrong.

What is Nuplazid’s mechanism of action?

The exact way Nuplazid works in the treatment of hallucinations and delusions is not fully understood. It may be due to its effects on serotonin in the brain through inverse agonist and antagonist activity at 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C serotonin receptors. Nuplazid has minimal activity at dopamine, muscarinic, histamine, or adrenergic receptors.

Nuplazid dosage forms and strengths

34 mg capsule
10 mg tablet

Nuplazid dosage

The recommended dose for adults with Parkinson’s disease-related hallucinations and delusions is Nuplazid 34mg by mouth once a day, with no need for titration. You can take Nuplazid with or without food.

Nuplazid dosage restrictions

No dosage adjustments are needed for patients with hepatic impairment.
No dosage adjustment is needed for patients with mild to severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
The recommended dose of Nuplazid is 10mg once a day when taken along with a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor such as clarithromycin.
You should avoid the coadministration of moderate to strong CYP3A4 inducers such as phenytoin with Nuplazid.

How to take Nuplazid

Read the Full Prescribing Information with Boxed Warning and Medication Guide that comes with this medication.
Take Nuplazid exactly as your healthcare professional tells you to. Do not change your dose or stop taking Nuplazid without talking with them first.
Nuplazid is typically taken by mouth once a day, with or without food. You should take this medication at the same time each day.
Capsules can be swallowed whole or opened and their contents sprinkled over a tablespoon of applesauce, pudding, yogurt, or a liquid nutritional supplement. You should swallow this mixture immediately without chewing. Do not store the mixture for future use.

Nuplazid dosage FAQs

What are some side effects of Nuplazid?

Some common side effects of Nuplazid seen in clinical trials include:

Peripheral edema
Changes to normal walking
Nausea
Confusional state
Hallucinations
Constipation
Rash

Nuplazid can sometimes cause more serious side effects, including:

Serious hypersensitivity reactions (hives, swelling of the face or throat, and shortness of breath)
Increased risk of death in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis
Increased risk of QT prolongation, including torsade de pointes

Contact your healthcare professional for medical advice about any adverse reactions you experience while taking Nuplazid. You can report your adverse effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

What are some drug interactions with Nuplazid?

The concomitant use of Nuplazid with other drugs can change how they work or increase the frequency and severity of side effects. You should ask your healthcare professional if any of the prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements you take may interact with this medication, including:

Moderate or strong CYP3A4 inhibitors such as ketoconazole and itraconazole
Moderate or strong CYP3A4 inducers such as rifampin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, and St. John’s wort
Drugs that prolong the QT interval such as procainamide, sotalol, disopyramide, amiodarone, quinidine, moxifloxacin, ziprasidone, and thioridazine

Who should not take Nuplazid?

Nuplazid is contraindicated if you have a known hypersensitivity to pimavanserin or any inactive ingredients in this product. You should also avoid this medication if you have certain heart conditions such as arrhythmias.

Is it safe to use Nuplazid while pregnant or breastfeeding?

There are no adequate studies on the use of Nuplazid during pregnancy. In animal studies, no adverse developmental effects were seen when Nuplazid was given by mouth to rats or rabbits. It is not known if Nuplazid is found in breast milk or what effects it may have on a breastfed infant. You should always discuss the risks and benefits of any medication with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, plan on becoming pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

What is the best time of day to take Nuplazid?

You can take Nuplazid at any time of day that works for you, but you should take your dose at the same time each day.

How is Nuplazid different from other antipsychotic medications?

Nuplazid is different from many other antipsychotics as it doesn’t affect your dopamine levels. It can be used to treat PD psychosis without worsening the motor symptoms of PD.

Does Nuplazid affect Parkinson’s disease-related movement disorders?

According to the manufacturer, clinical trials using Nuplazid did not affect motor symptoms when compared with a placebo after 6 weeks.

Can you take Nuplazid with other Parkinson’s disease medications?

Since Nuplazid doesn’t affect dopamine levels, it can be taken along with medications such as Sinemet (carbidopa/levodopa) without having to adjust the dose.

What is the average price of Nuplazid?

There is no generic for Nuplazid and is very expensive. The average cost of #30 Nuplazid 34mg capsules is over $6,200.

Related resources for Nuplazid dosage

Related medications

The content on this website is intended for information purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. The information on this website should not be relied upon and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should always speak to your doctor regarding the risks and benefits of any treatment.