Seroquel Quetiapine Fumarate: Side Effects, Uses, Dosage, Interactions, Warnings

In this 3-week placebo-controlled trial, 170 patients with bipolar mania (YMRS ≥20) were randomized to receive SEROQUEL or placebo as adjunct treatment to lithium or divalproex. Patients may or may not have received an adequate treatment course of lithium or divalproex prior to randomization. SEROQUEL was superior to placebo when added to lithium or divalproex alone in the reduction of YMRS total score (Study 3 in Table 20). The efficacy of SEROQUEL in the treatment of schizophrenia was established in 3 short-term (6-week) controlled trials of inpatients with schizophrenia who met DSM III-R criteria for schizophrenia. Although a single fixed dose haloperidol arm was included as a comparative treatment in one of the three trials, this single haloperidol dose group was inadequate to provide a reliable and valid comparison of SEROQUEL and haloperidol.

Seroquel XR side effects

Taking quetiapine may cause changes in the lens of your eye or lead to cataracts. Talk to your healthcare provider if you notice any changes in vision such as blurriness, difficulty seeing, or faded colors. Be sure to keep all of your appointments, including eye appointments, that your healthcare provider recommends. Quetiapine can cause the function of your thyroid gland to change, which can lead to low thyroid levels.

Quetiapine 50 mg and Bipolar Disorder

quetiapine seroquel: uses  side effects

If you stop quetiapine suddenly, it could lead to withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, or difficulty sleeping. Do not stop taking quetiapine without talking with your healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to stop quetiapine to reduce the risk of withdrawal reactions.

You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription. This medication has not been studied in children to use for this purpose.

Seroquel is a prescription medicine used to treat the symptoms of Schizophrenia, Bipolar I Disorder, Mania; Bipolar Disorder, Depressive Episodes; Bipolar I Disorder, Maintenance; and Major Depressive Disorder. The most common side-effects include feeling sleepy or dizzy, headache, and increased weight. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. The 3 treatment groups were similar in mean change in SAS total score and BARS Global Assessment score at the end of treatment. The use of concomitant anticholinergic medications was infrequent and similar across the three treatment groups.

And do not stop taking Seroquel unless your doctor recommends it. The primary efficacy results of these studies in the treatment of mania in adults is presented in Table 20. In vitro enzyme inhibition data suggest that quetiapine and 9 of its metabolites would have little inhibitory effect on in vivo metabolism mediated by cytochromes CYP 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A4. Quetiapine at doses of 750 mg/day did not affect the single dose pharmacokinetics of antipyrine, lithium, or lorazepam (Table 18) see DRUG INTERACTIONS. Quetiapine is rapidly absorbed after oral administration, reaching peak plasma concentrations in 1.5 hours. The tablet formulation is 100% bioavailable relative to solution.

Related Disease Conditions

It is very important that your doctor check your or your child’s progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects. You may also need to have your eyes tested on a regular basis.

Symptoms of Overdose

Generic drugs usually cost less than the brand-name version. In some cases, they may not be available in every strength or form as the quetiapine seroquel: uses side effects brand-name drug. If you need to dispose of medication that is out of date or no longer needed, contact a medical professional to ensure it is disposed of appropriately.

  • Below are some questions to ask your doctor about possible side effects of Seroquel.
  • The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated populations is unknown.
  • SEROQUEL and other medicines may affect each other causing serious side effects.
  • Quetiapine or other antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in a small number of children, teenagers, or young adults in the first few months of taking the medicine or when the dose is changed.
  • Whether any of the symptoms described above represent such a conversion is unknown.

Dosage warnings

quetiapine seroquel: uses  side effects

In a short-term placebo-controlled monotherapy trial in children and adolescent patients with bipolar mania (3-week duration), the aggregated incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms was 3.6% (7/193) or SEROQUEL and 1.1% (1/90) for placebo. Suicide is a known risk of depression and certain other psychiatric disorders, and these disorders themselves are the strongest predictors of suicide. There has been a long-standing concern, however, that antidepressants may have a role in inducing worsening of depression and the emergence of suicidality in certain patients during the early phases of treatment. Short-term studies did not show an increase in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age 24; there was a reduction with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults aged 65 and older. The conditions and duration of treatment with SEROQUEL varied greatly and included (in overlapping categories) open-label and double-blind phases of studies, inpatients and outpatients, fixed-dose and dose-titration studies, and short-term or longer-term exposure.

Your blood may need to be checked on a regular basis, and you may need other medical tests. Ask a doctor if it is safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Depakote is used to treat various types of seizure disorders.

  • They may later increase it, adding 50 mg to your daily dose.
  • Consult your doctor if any side effects worsen or if you notice unusual symptoms.
  • For this reason, your doctor may recommend that you get an eye exam before starting Seroquel.
  • Antidepressants such as Sertraline (Zoloft) or Escitalopram (Lexapro) may be effective.

What should I watch for while using this medication?

Seroquel (quetiapine) is an oral atypical antipsychotic drug used alone or in combination with other drugs to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It also is used for treating major depression in combination with antidepressants. Common side effects of Seroquel include headache, agitation, dizziness, drowsiness/tiredness, weight gain, and stomach upset. Seroquel should be used in pregnancy only if the physician feels it is necessary and the potential benefits justify the unknown risks. It is not known if Seroquel is excreted in human milk; it is recommended that women taking Seroquel not breastfeed. The pooled analyses of placebo-controlled trials in children and adolescents with MDD, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or other psychiatric disorders included a total of 24 short-term trials of 9 antidepressant drugs in over 4400 patients.