Quetiapine

CAUTION:
Studies have shown that older adults with dementia (significant loss of intellectual abilities, such as memory, severe enough to affect social or occupational functioning) who take antipsychotic medications such as quetiapine to treat behavioral problems have an increased chance of death. Quetiapine is not approved by the FDA for use in the treatment of behavioral disorders in older adults with dementia.Talk to the doctor who prescribed this medication, if you, a family member, or someone you take care of is taking quetiapine to treat behavioral problems associated with dementia.

General Information and Indications:

Quetiapine is used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions). It is also used to treat episodes of mania (frenzied, abnormally excited or irritated mood) or mixed episodes (symptoms of mania and depression that happen together) in patients with bipolar I disorder (manic depressive disorder; a disease that causes episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal moods). Quetiapine is in a class of medications called atypical antipsychotics. It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain.

Information For Users:

Quetiapine comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken two or three times a day. Take quetiapine at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label, ask your doctor or pharmacist If you have any questions. Take quetiapine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your health care provider.

Quetiapine controls the symptoms of schizophrenia but does not cure it. Continue taking quetiapine even if you feel well. Do not discontinue taking quetiapine without informing your doctor. Your doctor will probably want to decrease your dose gradually.
Other uses for this medicine

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

special precautions:

o Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergy to quetiapine or any other medications, or any of the ingredients in quetiapine.
o Inform your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: amantadine (Symadine, Symmetrel); amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone); certain antifungals such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), and voriconazole (Vfend); antihistamines; aprepitant (Emend); barbiturates; bromocriptine (Parlodel); carbamazapine (Tegretol); cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB); clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac); cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); efavirenz (Sustiva); delaviridine (Rescriptor); diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, others); erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Erythrocin); fluconazole (Diflucan); fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem); fluvoxamine (Luvox); glucocorticoids (cortisone, hydrocortisone, prednisone, prednisolone, dexamethasone); griseofulvin (Fulvicin, Grifulvin, Gris-PEG); HIV protease inhibitors including atazanavir (Reyataz), indinavir (Crixivan), lopinavir (in Kaletra), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra), and saquinavir (Fortovase, Invirase); hormonal contraceptives (birth control pills, rings, and patches); ipratropium (Atrovent); medications for irritable bowel disease, motion sickness, Parkinson's disease, ulcers, or urinary problems; levodopa (Larodopa, Dopar, Sinemet); lorazepam (Ativan); lovastatin (Altocor, Mevacor); medications for high blood pressure; nefazodone; nevirapine (Viramune); pergolide (Permax); phenobarbital (Luminal); phenytoin (Dilantin); pramipexole (Mirapex); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); rifabutin (Mycobutin); ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra); selegiline (Eldepryl);sertraline (Zoloft); thioridazine (Mellaril); troleandomycin (TAO); and verapamil (Calan). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
o Inform your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially St. John's wort.
o inform your doctor if you are breast-feeding Alzheimer's disease, any condition that makes it difficult for you to swallow, seizures, high cholesterol, high or low blood pressure, or thyroid, heart or liver disease, or if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had diabetes. Also Inform your doctor if you have ever had to stop taking a medication for mental illness because of severe side effects.
o Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking quetiapine, call your doctor. Do not breastfeed while taking quetiapine.
o if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, Inform your doctor or dentist that you are taking quetiapine.
o you should know that quetiapine may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
o remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication. Do not drink alcohol while taking quetiapine.
o you should know that you may have increases in your blood sugar (hyperglycemia) while you are taking this medication, even if you do not already have diabetes. If you have schizophrenia, you are more likely to develop diabetes than people who do not have schizophrenia, and taking quetiapine or similar medications may increase this risk. Inform your doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms while you are taking quetiapine: extreme thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, blurred vision (Impaired vision), or weakness. It is very important to call your doctor as soon as you have any of these symptoms, because high blood sugar can cause more serious symptoms, such as dry mouth, upset stomach and vomiting, shortness of breath, breath that smells fruity, or decreased consciousness, and may become life-threatening if it is not treated at an early stage.
o you should know that quetiapine may make it harder for your body to cool down when it gets very hot. Inform your doctor if you plan to do vigorous exercise or be exposed to extreme heat.
o you should know that quetiapine may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up too quickly from a lying position. This is more common when you first start taking quetiapine. To avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.

Talk to your doctor about eating grapefruit and drinking grapefruit juice while taking this medicine.

Possible Adverse Effects:

Quetiapine may cause adverse effects. Inform your doctor if any of the following symptoms are severe or do not go away:

o drowsiness
o dizziness
o agitation
o pain
o weakness
o dry mouth
o vomiting
o indigestion
o constipation
o stomach pain
o headache
o excessive weight gain
o thinning of hair or nails

Some adverse effects could be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS section, call your doctor without delay:

o fainting
o seizures
o shaking of hands that you can not control
o changes in vision
o rash
o uncontrollable movements of your arms, legs, tongue, face, or lips
o painful erection of the penis that lasts for hours
o fever
o very stiff muscles
o excess sweating
o fast or irregular heartbeat
o unusual bruising or bleeding
o loss of appetite (anorexia)
o upset stomach
o yellowness of the skin or eyes
o pain in the upper right part of the stomach
o flu-like symptoms
o lack of energy
 

Possible Symptoms of Overdose:

o drowsiness
o dizziness
o fainting
o fast heartbeat

Brand Name(s):

o Seroquel®