Quetiapine Reviews of those taking the drug, instructions for use, analogs, where to buy, price

The drug Quetiapine is taken with mental disorders and diseases. According to consumer reviews, it has a quick effect, helping with exacerbations of diseases. Before use, you should familiarize yourself with the features of its use and the existing contraindications.

Forms of release and composition of the drug

The active ingredient of the drug is quetiapine fumanate. Additional substances of the drug are microcrystalline cellulose, milk sugar, calcium, povidone, magnesium stearate and sodium caboxymethyl starch. The tool is available in the form of tablets with various concentrations of the active substance - 25 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg, 300 mg.

Pharmacological properties

The drug is an antipsychotic agent, the action of which is aimed at suppressing psychomotor agitation. It blocks receptors in the brain (dopamine D2 receptors), reducing heightened nervous activity and stabilizing the emotional state.

The main active ingredient quetiapine fumanate has an antagonistic effect - it blocks, reduces and prevents increased activity of biologically active substances in the brain, with the help of which impulses from nerve cells.

By acting on serotonin receptors (5HT2A receptors), quetiapine promotes the release of dopamine (a hormone responsible for feelings of pleasure). Its lack is one of the reasons for depression, oppression, social alienation and lack of motivation for certain activities.

Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics

Quetiapine (reviews of those taking the drug indicate its rapid action) is rapidly absorbed in the digestive tract. Its maximum concentration in the blood is reached after 1.5 hours. after taking. Most of the active substance (about 83%) binds to blood plasma proteins.

The splitting of the drug occurs in the liver, about 5% of the drug is excreted from the body unchanged in the urine or through the intestines. The half-life is 7-6 hours. After metabolism, the drug is excreted mainly by the kidneys (70-75%), and about 20% is excreted through the intestines.

In people over 65 years of age, the time for cleansing the blood from residues of quetiapine increases by 30-50% in comparison with patients aged 18-65 years. This process is also slowed down in people with impaired renal function and those with liver damage (eg, cirrhosis).

Indications for use

The drug is indicated for use in the presence of the following diseases and disorders of the mental and nervous systems:

• psychoses
• schizophrenia;
• depression (moderate to severe);
• bipolar disorder (alternation in a person of depressive and manic states. In the first option, dissatisfaction with life, self-hatred, and thoughts of suicide appear. The second state is characterized by an excessively good mood, the person is energetic and cheerful, but at the same time he can easily get irritated and sharply fall into a state of depression);
• violation of behavior (aggression, psychosis, fear, increased agitation);
• Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease and other organic brain syndromes associated with impairment and degradation of memory, thinking, the ability to perform habitual actions;
• use in the presence of sleep problems (a minimum dose of the drug is prescribed).

Indications for use

Quetiapine (reviews of those taking the drug indicate its safety) is contraindicated for use with increased sensitivity to the main active ingredient, intolerance or deficiency of lactase, impaired absorption of carbohydrates into intestines.

Relative contraindications (when the benefits of taking the drug exceed possible negative consequences from its use) are:

• renal failure;
• the presence of cardiovascular diseases and congenital heart defects;
• low pressure;
• oncological diseases;
• severe liver disease;
• dehydration of the body;
• dysphagia (impaired swallowing function);
• cataract;
• epilepsy;
• psychoses in elderly patients.
• the presence of factors that increase the risk of developing a heart attack or stroke.

The safety of using the drug during pregnancy has not been established. Studies on animals have shown that when taken, the drug has a reproductive toxicity (harmful effects on fertility and sexual function, as well as on the development of the future offspring).

Taking the drug in the third trimester increases the risk of accumulation in newborns active substance and the onset of the "withdrawal" syndrome (the development of physical dependence on preparation).

It is not recommended to take the medicine during lactation, as it can cause drowsiness, sudden changes in pressure, excessive excitability of the nervous system, tremors and the occurrence of respiratory distress syndrome (acute pneumonia, often leading to fatal the outcome).

At what age can the drug be used?

Conducted clinical studies have established that the drug is effective and safe when taken by children aged 10-17 years. However, the use of this antipsychotic agent is not indicated in patients under 18 years of age.

Instructions for use, dosage

The use of the drug is carried out only as directed by the attending physician (psychiatrist, psychotherapist, narcologist), since self-medication can lead to serious health complications. The initial dose for chronic psychosis is 25 mg twice a day.

The next day (in the absence of side effects), the dosage is increased by 2 p. On the third day, the dose is already 200 mg, and on the 4th day, the amount of the drug increases to 300-400 mg. It is taken 2-3 p. in a day.

The subsequent increase in the daily dosage should not exceed 50-100 mg of the drug (the interval between the increase in the amount of the drug should be 2 days).

It is important to remember that the maximum daily dose of quetiapine is 750 mg.

The table below shows the features of treatment and dosage for various types of diseases:

Disease	Dosage (in mg)	Reception scheme, features
Bipolar disorder	200-800	Reception of the drug begins with 100 mg, gradually increasing the dosage by no more than 200 mg. The medicine is used 2 r. in a day.
Depressive episodes	300-600	Taking the drug starts from 50 mg (gradually increases). The tool is consumed 1 p. in. day before bed. The starting dose for the elderly is 25 mg. It can be increased daily by 25-50 mg.
Maintaining remission	From 25 mg	The lowest dose is taken (established by a psychiatrist depending on the characteristics of the disease). Patients should be periodically evaluated for maintenance therapy (if necessary).

The drug intake and its effectiveness do not depend on food intake.

Side effects

Quetiapine (reviews of those taking the drug confirm the presence of side effects) when taken, it can cause a number of negative consequences:

• headache and dizziness;
• drowsiness;
• sense of anxiety;
• drops in blood pressure;
• increased heart rate and heart rate;
• pain in the abdomen, lower back;
• soreness of muscle tissue;
• indigestion, constipation;
• inflammation of the nasal mucosa;
• dry mouth;
• skin rashes, dryness and peeling of the skin;
• insomnia, irritability;
• slight tremor;
• infections of the genitourinary system.

These effects are short-term and after 6-7 hours. pass. Long-term side effects include mild weight gain, increased blood cholesterol and sugar levels. During the period of taking the drug, a slight decrease in the level of thyroid hormones is possible.

After the end of the course of taking the drug, patients may experience a withdrawal syndrome, manifested in in the form of attacks of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, irritability, problems with sleep.

Overdose

Self-increase in the dose prescribed by the attending physician will not increase the effectiveness of the drug, but may cause a deterioration in well-being.

A drug overdose is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• lowering blood pressure;
• tachycardia;
• increased sedative (calming) effect;
• headache, dizziness;
• nausea, vomiting;
• pain in the abdomen.

If these signs appear, you must stop taking the drug and seek medical help. The patient is prescribed symptomatic therapy and medical supervision until the signs of overdose disappear.

special instructions

Quetiapine (reviews of those taking the drug indicate the similarity of its action with alcohol) it is recommended to combine with alcoholic beverages in order to avoid additional depressing effects on nervous system.

Also, the use of the drug often causes drowsiness, therefore, while taking it, it is worth refrain from driving and do not perform work requiring high concentration of attention.

With prolonged use of the drug, it is possible to develop dyskinesia - an involuntary movement in a muscle or muscle group. When this phenomenon appears, it is recommended to reduce the dose of the drug or completely cancel its intake.

In rare cases, when using quetiapine, neuroleptic malignant syndrome can develop - a complication of taking potent neuroleptic drugs. Its signs are a sharp increase in body temperature, impaired consciousness, muscle hypertonia, disruption in the work of vital organs.

Signs of this complication appear mainly in the first week of treatment. If you experience the above symptoms, you should immediately seek medical attention. The drug is discontinued and appropriate treatment is prescribed.

Drug interactions

Quetiapine is not recommended to be taken with similar drugs that have a suppressive effect on the nervous system. Concomitant use of medicines can increase the likelihood of side effects.

When treating with the drug, you must also take the following drugs with caution:

• containing ethanol;
• normalizing heart rate;
• antifungal drugs (they disrupt drug metabolism);
• liver enzyme inducers. For example, phenytoin accelerates the elimination of the drug from the body. Therefore, the dose of quetiapine must be increased;
• antibiotics.

Analogs

Quetiapine, according to consumer reviews, has strong side effects in some cases. This makes his reception unsafe and problematic. To avoid this, the attending physician will select and prescribe an analogue of the drug.

Effective drugs with the same active ingredient are:

• Quentiax. An antipsychotic drug used to treat chronic and acute psychoses (including schizophrenia), exacerbation of bipolar disorder. The main indications for use are age up to 18 years, pregnancy, lactation period. The active ingredient of the drug is quetiapine hemifumarate. Auxiliary components are magnesium stearate, povidone, lactose monohydrate, hypromellose, macrogol, iron oxide dye (yellow).
• Hedonin is an antipsychotic drug used in acute psychoses, as well as in their chronic form. It helps in the treatment of bipolar disorder during manic episodes. The product is not used to treat children under 18 years of age. It is prescribed with caution to pregnant women, the elderly and patients with problems with the functioning of the blood and liver.
• Seroquel Is an atypical antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and prevent relapse in people with stable disease. It is also used in the treatment of severe to moderate manic and depressive episodes in bipolar disorder. Its use contributes to the prevention of subsequent episodes of the disease. The drug is prohibited for use by children, breastfeeding women and people who have hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. With caution, quetiapine should be used by pregnant women, people with diabetes mellitus and patients with allergies.

Medicines containing other active ingredients are also analogous to the effect on the body:

• Phenotropil. The drug is used in the presence of an apathetic state in schizophrenia, depression of mild and severe forms, diseases of the central nervous system of various origins, neurotic conditions, chronic stress, sleep problems. Contraindications to taking the medication are hypersensitivity to its components, pregnancy and the period of breastfeeding. Also, the drug is not recommended to be given to children, since clinical studies on the effect of the drug on children have not been conducted.
• Haloperidol is a neuroleptic drug that is used for acute, chronic psychoses, accompanied by agitation, hallucinations (schizophrenia, psychosomatic disorders); personality disorders, behavior change. The drug is approved for use by children over 3 years of age. During pregnancy and lactation, it is prescribed only in unavoidable cases.

Terms, conditions of sale and storage

The drug has a powerful effect on the mental and nervous systems, which is similar to the effects of alcohol or drugs. Therefore, quetiapine is often used not for medicinal purposes, but as a drug. In this regard, the sale of the drug is carried out only with a doctor's prescription.

It is recommended to store the drug at a temperature not exceeding 30 ⁰WITH. It must be kept in a dry, dark place out of reach of children. The shelf life of the medicinal product is 3 g. (from the date of production).

Price

The cost of quetiapine depends on 2 factors:

• Dosage of tablets.
• Pharmacy chains mark-up.

The manufacturer produces the drug in tablets of 60 pcs. packaged. The average cost of a drug with a minimum dosage of an active substance of 25 mg is 860 rubles. The price of a package of tablets containing the maximum dose of the active substance (300 mg) starts from 1900 rubles.

Quetiapine is an effective drug in the treatment of psychosis and other mental disorders. According to consumer reviews, the drug is easily tolerated by the body and practically does not cause side effects, provided it is taken correctly.

Video about Quetiapine

The doctor will tell you about the drug Quetiapine: