Because of mild anticholinergic activity, patients with glaucoma, urinary retention, and benign prostatic hypertrophy can experience exacerbation of symptoms when given thiethylperazine. Thiethylperazine is hepatically metabolized. Hepatic disease could compromise thiethylperazine's metabolism, leading to excessive toxicity. Thiethylperazine can cause cholestatic jaundice and could exacerbate any underlying cholestatic dysfunction. Thiethylperazine should be used cautiously in patients with pheochromocytoma because the thiethylperazine-induced buildup of neurotransmitters can have a cardiotoxic effect in these patients.
Limited information exists on thiethylperazine's effects during pregnancy or breast-feeding.
Caution should be used and this drug given only if the benefits outweigh the possible birth defects or other effects in the infant. Thiethylerazine is contraindicated in patients with tartrazine dye hypersensitivity or sulfite hypersensitivity. Parenteral preparations of thiethylperazine contain sulfites and may trigger a hypersensitivity reaction in patients with sulfite hypersensitivity. Thiethylperazine oral tablets contain tartrazine dye which may trigger a hypersensitivity reaction in patients with tartrazine dye hypersensitivity. Concomitant administration of thiethylperazine and other anticholinergics, including atropine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, phenothiazines, antihistamines, antidepressants, meperidine, and antiparkinsonian agents, can cause additive adverse effects such as oversedation, paralytic ileus, and severe constipation.