Olanzapine( trade name Ziprex) is an atypical neuroleptic , an antipsychotic that is used in the treatment of many neurological and psychiatric diseases, such as extrapyramidal syndromes, schizophrenia, depression, manic psychosis, bipolar affective disorder.
In combination with other medications, olanzapine is effective in the treatment of resistant depression, psychoses and neuroses. It is an antipsychotic that has several pharmacological actions, it also affects various receptors, as an antagonist.
The drug reduces the excitability of mesolimbic neurons, with minimal damage to the motor function. When administered orally, it is quickly absorbed into the intestine, its maximum concentration in the blood is observed after 7 hours. The drug accumulates in the liver and blood. Drug is withdrawn within 24 hours.
Contents
- General description of the preparation
- General description of the preparation
- Pharmacological profile
- Indications and contraindications for use
- Dosage and method of application
- Adverse reactions and overdose
- Interaction with other medicines
- Treatment of children and pregnant women
- They know what Ziprex is, not by hearsay
- Purchase and selectionits analogs
General characteristics of the preparation
The main active substance of the drug is olanzapine. In addition, it includes microcrystalline cellulose, milk sugar, starch, magnesium stearate, colloidal silicon dioxide. The drug is available in the form of tablets for oral administration of 5 and 10 mg.
Structural formula of olanzapine
The drug is administered exclusively by the treating physician after diagnosis of neurological and psychiatric abnormalities. The main indications are most often schizophrenia, manic episodes, bipolar disorder, depression. A neurologist or a psychiatrist can prescribe the medicine.
Ziprexa eliminates the productive and negative manifestations of the disease.
Compared with other drugs in this group, taking the drug leads to a prolonged remission, preventing exacerbation and new manic episodes. After treatment there is an improvement in the scale of assessing depression.
Pharmacological profile
Pharmacological properties of the medicine:
- eliminates the productive symptoms of mental illnesses, auditory and visual hallucinations, delusions;
- reduces the negative manifestations of diseases - apathy, insomnia, depressive manifestations, suicidal tendencies;
- activates serotonin receptors;
- reduces the basic protective reflexes;
- removes anxiety and fear.
The high effectiveness of the drug in the treatment of schizophrenia and similar psychiatric disorders with symptoms of auditory and visual hallucinations is proved. Peak activity of the drug is observed within 3 weeks after the start of treatment. Patients undergoing long-term remission, which lasts up to 2 years.
Indications and contraindications for use
Neuroleptic olanzapine is indicated with the following deviations: 
- schizophrenia with the presence of positive symptoms, impaired thinking, hallucinations, mania, suspiciousness, hostility;
- schizophrenia with negative symptoms, speech disorders, manifestations of sociopathy, inhibition, social autism;
- manic attacks, neuroses and psychoses;
- bipolar affective disorder( in combination with other drugs).
Ziprex has a relatively small list of contraindications:
- allergy and intolerance of individual components of the drug;
- convulsive seizures, epilepsy;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including intestinal obstruction;
- age to 18 years;
- marked disorders of the central nervous system, coma;
- endocrine pathology, diabetes mellitus;
- period of pregnancy and lactation;
- Parkinson's disease, glaucoma and kidney failure.
The drug is not prescribed as an outpatient to patients whose activities are associated with high responsibility. These are drivers, teachers, educators, as well as people engaged in heavy physical labor. This does not apply to inpatient treatment, when the patient is referred for acute therapy, and it requires long-term treatment.
Dosage and method of application
For the treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders, the initial dose of the drug is 10 mg per day. The time of reception does not matter.
Dosage can vary from 5 to 20 mg per day, it is selected by the doctor individually for each patient, depending on the severity of clinical manifestations. After a comprehensive examination of the patient, the dosage may be increased to 10 mg.
Treatment for acute mania requires a single dose of 15 mg.
If the drug is used in combination with other drugs for the treatment of neurotic conditions, then the usual dosage is 5-10 mg per day.
If the kidneys fail to work and in old age, the initial dosage should not exceed 5 mg. Dosage may decrease with the treatment of women, non-smokers and the elderly.
Adverse reactions and overdose
Possible adverse reactions in the treatment with Zyprex:
- increase in body weight and mammary glands;
- drowsiness, apathic condition, disability;
- asthenia, dizziness, dry mouth;
- diarrheal disorders, diarrhea, bloating, less frequent constipation;
- impaired coordination of movements, which is particularly evident from the change in gait;
- metabolic disorders, ketoacidosis, hyperglycemia and diabetic coma;
- nerve disorders, convulsions, insomnia, akathisia;
- is less likely to develop thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia, or leukopenia.
In severe cases, treatment can trigger symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder due to antiserotonergic effect. When a patient already has obsessive-compulsive disorder or a manifestation of depression, these conditions can be exacerbated.
Prolonged treatment with the drug causes violations of the endocrine system, leading to obesity and failure of metabolic processes.
Interaction with other drugs
Olanzapine reduces the effectiveness of dopamine agonists and levodopa. With the simultaneous use of other means of central action, their effectiveness against positive symptoms increases. The concentration of the drug is increased among smokers.
When interacting with ethanol, sedation increases. Bioavailability of the drug decreases with simultaneous reception of activated charcoal.
Treatment of children and pregnant women
The drug is not prescribed until the age of 18 years. There are exceptions, when after a comprehensive study of the patient the drug is prescribed after 16 years.
Zyprex is contraindicated at any time of pregnancy and during breastfeeding, if it is possible to replace the experimentally tested neuroleptic.
They know what Ziprex is, not by hearsay
The opinion of ordinary people and the responses of modern doctors of psychiatrists about Olanzapine are very interesting and worthy of studying them.
Neuroleptic olanzapine is prescribed for such mental illnesses as schizophrenia in adults, bipolar affective disorder, mania and many others.
Therapy allows for a long time to suspend positive and negative clinical manifestations, removing delusional ideas, auditory, visual and sensory hallucinations. The medicine showed itself well in the recurrence of depression in combination with bipolar disorder, in which the oppressed state is replaced by the manic phase.
This drug does have many adverse reactions, but it is better than others to cope with severe mental disorders, because to this day it is used in neurology and psychiatry.
Doctor-psychiatrist
Review of a relative of a patient with schizophrenia about treatment with Ziprex.
Ziprex receives my son, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 22.Already half a year feels well, have had attacks of aggression and visual hallucinations.
There were problems with sleep, because in parallel prescribed a hypnotic drug, there are no other undesirable reactions to treatment.
Relative of the schizophrenic
Olanzapine is actively used in psychiatry, however it causes a lot of controversy. He copes well with the symptoms of incurable mental illness. Many psychiatrists are against the treatment of this drug, which is associated with some adverse reactions.
In particular, experts are frightened by the consequence of diabetes mellitus and hyperglycemia.
Purchase of the drug and the selection of its analogues
The drug is dispensed on prescription. Keep it in a dark dark place away from children. Shelf life is indicated on the package.
Antipsychotic Olanzapine has the following analogs: 
- Ziprex( trade version) - from 2000 rubles;
- Egolanza - from 1000 rubles;
- Zalasta - from 1200 rubles;
- Zipreksa Zidis - from 2200 rubles;
- Zalasta Ku-tab - from 950 rubles.
Self-medication, as well as its analogs, is prohibited, there is a risk of acute adverse reactions and strengthening of existing productive and negative symptoms. An overdose requires immediate medical attention.
