Fluphenazine is a phenothiazine derivative (piperazine) used in the treatment of psychotic disorders

Red serum vial/tube, 5 mL

1. Allow sample to clot
2. Spin
3. Transfer serum to a Transfer vial/tube with cap - 12mL (LabCorp), labelled as serum, within 45 minutes of sample collection

Transfer vial/tube with cap - 12mL (LabCorp)

Lavender (EDTA), 4mL

Dk green heparin (Li or Na), no gel

Immediatley following collection, mix sample thoroughly by gentle inverting 8 - 10 times, to prevent clotting

1. Spin
2. Transfer plasma to a Transfer vial/tube with cap - 12mL (LabCorp), labelled as the appropriate plasma type, within 45 minutes of sample collection

• Gel-barrier tube
  • The use of gel-barrier tubes is not recommended due to slow absorption of the drug by the gel. Depending on the specimen volume and storage time, the decrease in drug level due to absorption may be clinically significant.

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS)

Therapeutic: 1.0-10.0 ng/mL

Its dose in milligrams equivalent to 100 mg of chlorpromazine is 0.6-1.2 mg. A statistical evaluation1 of clinical studies found the near maximal effective dose of oral fluphenazine to be <6.9 mg/day. For the decanoate, the near-maximal effective dose was 25 mg/two weeks. As a high potency antipsychotic, it may have a high potential for causing extrapyramidal side effects. This would be in addition to the usual adverse effects of antipsychotic drugs (neurologic, anticholinergic, hypotension). Elderly patients should be observed for these occurrences. The half-life of fluphenazine is formulation-dependent. (The decanoate is 5 to 12 days; the hydrochloride 12 to 60 hours.) Fluphenazine is also used to alleviate pain and in childhood development disorders.