Quetiapin Hexal
Quetiapin Hexal is an antipsychotic medication used to treat mental health conditions like bipolar depression, mania, and schizophrenia.
Form
depottabletti
Strength
50 mg
Active Ingredient
Quetiapine fumarate
Manufacturer
Hexal A/S
How to Use
Dosage
Your doctor will decide your starting dose. The usual daily dose is between 150 mg and 800 mg, depending on your condition.
Method
Take the prolonged-release tablets once a day, whole with water. Do not break, chew, or crush them. Take without food, at least 1 hour before a meal or at bedtime. Do not drink grapefruit juice.
Important
Do not exceed 800 mg per day.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Dizziness (can lead to falls)
- •Headache
- •Dry mouth
- •Drowsiness (may go away with continued use, can lead to falls)
- •Difficulty sleeping, nausea, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, and irritability (if stopping the medicine suddenly)
- •Weight gain
- •Abnormal muscle movements like difficulty starting movements, shaking, restlessness, or muscle stiffness without pain
- •Changes in blood fat levels (triglycerides and total cholesterol)
- •Fast, pounding, racing, or irregular heartbeat
- •Constipation and indigestion
- •Weakness
- •Swelling in arms or legs
- •Low blood pressure, especially when standing up, which can cause dizziness or fainting
- •High blood sugar
- •Blurred vision
- •Abnormal dreams and nightmares
- •Increased appetite
- •Irritability
- •Speech and language difficulties
- •Suicidal thoughts and worsening depression
- •Shortness of breath
- •Vomiting (mostly in older people)
- •Fever
- •Changes in blood thyroid hormone levels
- •Decrease in certain types of white blood cells
- •Increase in liver enzymes measured in blood
- •Increased prolactin hormone levels in blood, which can rarely cause breast swelling in men and women, unexpected breast milk production, or missed/irregular periods in women
RARE
- •Seizures or convulsions
- •Allergic reactions, such as hives or swelling of the skin and around the mouth
- •Unpleasant feelings in the legs (restless legs syndrome)
- •Difficulty swallowing
- •Uncontrolled movements, especially of the face or tongue
- •Sexual dysfunction
- •Worsening of existing diabetes or new onset diabetes
- •Change in heart's electrical activity seen on ECG (QT prolongation)
- •Slower than normal heart rate, possibly with low blood pressure and fainting at the start of treatment
- •Difficulty urinating
- •Fainting (can lead to falls)
- •Stuffy nose
- •Decrease in red blood cells
- •Decrease in sodium levels in blood
- •Confusion
- •Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (high fever, sweating, severe muscle stiffness, severe drowsiness or fainting)
- •Yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice)
- •Liver inflammation (hepatitis)
- •Prolonged and painful erection (priapism)
- •Breast swelling and unexpected breast milk production (galactorrhea)
- •Menstrual problems
- •Blood clots in veins, especially in the legs (with swelling, pain, redness), which can travel to the lungs causing chest pain and breathing problems
- •Sleepwalking, sleep-talking, sleep-eating, or other activities while asleep
- •Low body temperature (hypothermia)
- •Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- •Metabolic syndrome (increased belly fat, decreased 'good' cholesterol, increased triglycerides, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar)
- •Agranulocytosis (very low white blood cell count, with fever, flu-like symptoms, sore throat, or other infection)
- •Bowel obstruction
- •Increased levels of creatine phosphokinase (a substance from muscles) in the blood
- •Severe skin reactions (such as rashes, blisters, peeling skin, or red patches - including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, DRESS syndrome, Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis, Erythema multiforme)
- •Severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock), which may cause breathing difficulties or shock
- •Rapid swelling of the skin, usually around the eyes, lips, or throat (angioedema)
- •Abnormal secretion of a hormone that regulates urine volume
- •Muscle damage and pain (rhabdomyolysis)
- •Stroke
- •Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy)
- •Heart muscle inflammation (myocarditis)
- •Inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis), often with small red or purple rashes
- •Withdrawal symptoms in newborns if the mother used quetiapine during pregnancy
Important Warnings
- If you get a high fever, severe muscle stiffness, sweating, or become less aware, tell your doctor immediately. These could be signs of a serious condition called Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome.
- If you have a fast or irregular heartbeat, especially at rest, shortness of breath, chest pain, or unusual tiredness, contact your doctor right away.
- If you develop severe skin rash, blisters, or peeling skin (like Stevens-Johnson syndrome, TEN, DRESS), stop taking this medicine and seek immediate medical help.
- If you have thoughts of harming yourself or feel your depression is getting worse, contact your doctor or go to the nearest hospital immediately.
- If you or someone in your family has had blood clots, as this type of medicine can increase the risk of clots.
Show 1 more warnings
- If you are an elderly person with dementia, this medicine should not be taken, as it may increase the risk of stroke or death.
Use in Elderly Patients
Category D
Avoid use in older adults. Anticholinergic. Sedative. For treatment of psychosis only. Inappropriate as a hypnotic. Increases the risk of cardiovascular events, QT prolongation and orthostatic hypotension. Increases risk of falls, extrapyramidal symptoms and cognitive impairment. Reduces the effectiveness of drugs for Alzheimer’s disease. Avoid grapefruit. (updated 15.1.2024)