Quetiapin Hexal
Quetiapin Hexal is an antipsychotic medication used to treat various mental health conditions such as depression, mania, and schizophrenia.
Form
depottabletti
Strength
400 mg
Active Ingredient
Quetiapine fumarate
Manufacturer
Hexal A/S
How to Use
Dosage
Your doctor will prescribe your starting dose; the maintenance dose is usually between 150 mg and 800 mg daily.
Method
Take prolonged-release tablets whole once daily with water, at least 1 hour before a meal or at bedtime; do not break, chew, crush them, or drink grapefruit juice during treatment.
Important
The maximum usual daily dose is 800 mg.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Dizziness (may lead to falls), headache, and dry mouth
- •Drowsiness (may lead to falls)
- •Symptoms after stopping the medicine: insomnia, nausea, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, and irritability
- •Weight gain
- •Abnormal muscle movements (difficulty starting movements, tremors, restlessness, or muscle stiffness without pain)
- •Changes in fat levels (triglycerides and total cholesterol)
- •Fast heart rate
- •Palpitations, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
- •Constipation, indigestion
- •Weakness
- •Swelling of hands or feet
- •Low blood pressure, especially when standing up (may cause dizziness or faintness and falls)
- •High blood sugar
- •Vision problems
- •Abnormal dreams and nightmares
- •Increased appetite
- •Irritability
- •Speech and language problems
- •Suicidal thoughts and worsening depression
- •Shortness of breath
- •Vomiting (mainly in the elderly)
- •Fever
- •Changes in blood thyroid hormone levels
- •Decrease in certain types of white blood cells
- •Increased liver enzyme levels measured in blood
- •Increased prolactin hormone levels in blood (may cause breast swelling in men/women, unexpected milk production, or missed/irregular periods in women)
RARE
- •Seizures
- •Allergic reactions (e.g., hives, swelling of skin and around mouth)
- •Restless legs syndrome
- •Difficulty swallowing
- •Involuntary movements, especially of the face or tongue
- •Sexual dysfunction
- •Diabetes or worsening diabetes
- •Changes in the heart's electrical activity (QT prolongation on ECG)
- •Slower heart rate (may be associated with low blood pressure and fainting)
- •Difficulty urinating
- •Fainting (may lead to falls)
- •Nasal congestion
- •Reduced red blood cell count
- •Reduced blood sodium levels
- •Confusion
- •Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (combination of fever, sweating, severe muscle stiffness, significant drowsiness or weakness)
- •Yellow skin and eyes (jaundice)
- •Liver inflammation (hepatitis)
- •Prolonged and painful erection (priapism)
- •Breast swelling and unexpected milk production (galactorrhea)
- •Menstrual disorders
- •Blood clots in veins (especially in legs, symptoms include swelling, pain, redness), potentially traveling to lungs (causing chest pain and breathing difficulties)
- •Sleepwalking, talking, eating, or other sleep-related activities
- •Reduced body temperature (hypothermia)
- •Pancreatitis
- •Metabolic syndrome (central obesity, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, high blood sugar)
- •Agranulocytosis (fever, flu-like symptoms, sore throat, very low white blood cell count)
- •Bowel obstruction
- •Increased creatine phosphokinase levels in blood (a substance from muscles)
- •Severe rash, blisters, or red spots on the skin
- •Severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock), causing breathing difficulties or shock
- •Rapid skin swelling (angioedema), typically around eyes, lips, or throat
- •Severe blistering condition of skin, mouth, eyes, and genitals (Stevens-Johnson syndrome)
- •Abnormal secretion of a hormone regulating urine volume
- •Muscle fiber breakdown and muscle pain (rhabdomyolysis)
- •Rash with irregular red spots (erythema multiforme)
- •Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) (sudden red skin areas with small pus-filled blisters)
- •Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) (flu-like symptoms, rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, abnormal blood tests)
- •Withdrawal symptoms in newborns if the mother used quetiapine during pregnancy (tremors, muscle stiffness/weakness, drowsiness, restlessness, breathing problems, feeding difficulties)
- •Stroke
- •Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy)
- •Heart muscle inflammation (myocarditis)
- •Inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis), often with red or purple spots on the skin
Important Warnings
- Do not take Quetiapin Hexal if you are allergic to quetiapine or if you are using certain HIV medicines, azole antifungal medicines, erythromycin, clarithromycin, or nefazodone (an antidepressant).
- Tell your doctor if you or your family have heart problems, low blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, diabetes, seizures, low white blood cell count, Parkinson's disease, blood clots, sleep apnea, or urinary problems.
- Be careful if you are elderly and have dementia, as Quetiapin Hexal may increase the risk of stroke or, in some cases, death.
- Contact your doctor immediately if you develop high fever, severe muscle stiffness, sweating, drowsiness, uncontrolled movements in your face or tongue, severe dizziness, a prolonged erection, or a fast/irregular heartbeat.
- Seek medical advice if you have fever, flu-like symptoms, a sore throat (a sign of low white blood cell count), or persistent constipation with abdominal pain (which can lead to bowel obstruction).
Show 4 more warnings
- Contact your doctor or nearest hospital immediately if you have depression or suicidal thoughts, especially at the start of treatment or if you stop the medication suddenly.
- Stop taking the medicine and seek immediate medical attention if you develop severe skin reactions, such as a widespread rash, blisters, skin peeling, or fever (e.g., Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, DRESS syndrome, AGEP, erythema multiforme).
- This medication can cause weight gain, so your weight should be monitored regularly.
- Quetiapin Hexal should not be used in children and adolescents under 18 years of age.