The British Journal of Psychiatry 149: 241-243 (1986)
© 1986 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Priapism and psychotropic medication
J Kogeorgos and C de Alwis
Priapism is a rare but serious adverse effect of psychotropic drugs
resulting from their peripheral alpha-adrenoreceptor blocking action. Two
patients developed this during treatment with oral phenothiazines: one was
treated surgically with a venous shunt, and the second case resolved after
intracavernosal injection of an alpha-adrenoreceptor stimulating drug.