Brand Name

Seroquel {Astra Zeneca}

Generic Name

quetiapine, pronounced kwe TYE a peen

 

What is Seroquel?

Seroquel is an antipsychotic medication that is used to treat patients with schizophrenia. It is approved for adults and children ages 13 and older. Seroquel works by changing the actions of the chemicals in the brain. Seroquel may also be used to treat manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, in adults and children ages 10 and older. Some adults may be prescribed Seroquel in conjunction with other antidepressant medications to help treat major depressive disorder. Seroquel may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

 

Key Facts About Seroquel

You should never take Seroquel in larger amounts then directed, or for longer than recommended by your doctor. The use of Seroquel in high doses and for long term may cause a serious and irreversible movement disorder. Signs of this of this disorder include uncontrollable muscle movements and tremors. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions for taking Seroquel exactly.

It is important for you to be aware that Seroquel may cause heart failure, sudden death, or pneumonia in older adults with dementia-related conditions. You should stop taking Seroquel and call your doctor immediately if you have the symptoms like very stiff and rigid muscles, a high fever, sweating, confusion, uneven or fast heartbeats, tremors, uncontrolled muscle movements, light-headedness, blurred vision, eye pain, increased thirst and urination, excessive hunger, a fruity breath odor, weakness, nausea and vomiting.

You should not use Seroquel for psychotic conditions related to dementia.

You should not drink alcohol while taking Seroquel, as it may increase certain side effects of this medication.

When you first start taking Seroquel you may have thoughts about suicide, especially if you are younger than 24 years of age. You must tell your doctor if you have these thoughts, and be sure to keep regular appointments with your physician, particularly for the first 3 months of treatment, or whenever you have a change in your dose.

If you have any new or worsening symptoms, like mood changes, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, impulsiveness, irritability, aggression, hyperactivity, or thoughts of suicide or harming yourself tell your doctor immediately. Be sure that your caregivers will monitor you for signs of mental distress, especially for the first few weeks of treatment with Seroquel.

Be aware that Seroquel may impair your reactions or thinking. You should be careful when driving or doing anything which requires you to be alert, especially when you first start Seroquel. Be careful when getting from a sitting or lying position, as Seroquel can cause dizziness. Be sure to get up slowly and safely to prevent falling.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Seroquel is in FDA pregnancy category C. It is known that taking an antipsychotic medication like Seroquel may cause problems in your newborn, like withdrawal symptoms, breathing problems, feeding problems, tremors, fussiness, and stiff or limp muscles. You should be aware that if you stop taking Seroquel during your pregnancy you may have withdrawal symptoms. Consult with your doctor if you become pregnant while taking Seroquel. You should not breast-feed while taking Seroquel, as it is known that Seroquel can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby.

 

Before You Take Seroquel

If you are allergic to quetiapine you should not take Seroquel.

Let your doctor know if you have a history of low white blood cell counts or a thyroid disorder before you start taking Seroquel.

If you have epilepsy, seizures, a history of heart attack or stroke, or high blood pressure you should tell your doctor before taking Seroquel.

Tell your doctor before starting Seroquel if you have liver or kidney disease, high cholesterol or triglycerides, or a personal or family history of diabetes before you begin treatment with Seroquel.

You should inform your doctor if you have cataracts or trouble swallowing to help him or her decide if Seroquel is right for you.

You may be more prone to heat stroke while taking Seroquel. Be cautious about getting overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather.

Treatment with Seroquel is not to be used for patients with psychotic conditions related to dementia. The use of Seroquel for these patients may cause them extreme harm, such as heart failure, pneumonia, or even sudden death.

 

Seroquel Drug Interactions

You should inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following:

• allergy and cold medications
• amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)
• antibiotic or antifungal medications like clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, Pediazole), levofloxacin (Levaquin), ketoconazole (Nizoral), and rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater).
• antidepressants and medications to treat psychiatric disorders, including amitriptylline (Elavil, Vanatrip, Limbitrol), clozapine (FazaClo, Clozaril), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, Symbyax), haloperidol (Haldol), risperidone (Risperdal) and thioridazine (Mellaril)
• anti-malaria medications chloroquine (Aralen) and mefloquine (Lariam).
• blood pressure medications
• disopyramide (Norpace)
• dofetilide (Tikosyn)
• HIV medications
• methadone (Methadose, Diskets, Dolophine)
• muscle relaxers
• Parkinson’s disease medications
• procainamide (Procan, Pronestyl)
• propafenone (Rythmol)
• quinidine (Quin-G)
• sedatives or sleeping pills
• seizure medications like carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol), divalproex (Depakote), phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), phenytoin (Dilantin), and valproic acid (Depakene, Stavzor)
• sumatriptan (Imitrex, Treximet)
• zolmitriptan (Zomig).

Other drugs you take that are not listed may interact with Seroquel. You should tell your doctor about all of the medications you use. This includes prescription drugs, vitamins, supplements and herbal products, and over the counter medications. You should not begin taking a new medication without telling your doctor first.

 

Directions for Taking Seroquel

You should take Seroquel exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take Seroquel in larger or smaller amounts, or for shorter or longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

You should take Seroquel at the same time every day.

Do not break, chew, or crush Seroquel, swallow it whole with a full glass of water.

You can take Seroquel with or without food.

Be aware that Seroquel may cause you to have high blood sugar, also called hyperglycemia. Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of hyperglycemia like increased thirst, excessive hunger, excessive urination or weakness. If you are a diabetic you should check your blood sugar levels on a regular basis while you are taking Seroquel.

You may experience a false-positive result on a drug test while taking Seroquel. Be sure to let the laboratory know that you are taking this medication before any screenings are done.

Do not stop using Seroquel without consulting your doctor, as you may experience adverse side effects if you stop taking this medication suddenly. Your doctor may change your dosage of Seroquel throughout the course of your treatment, and you should follow his or her instructions carefully.

Seroquel needs to be stored at room temperature, and away from light, moisture and heat.

If you miss a dose of Seroquel you should attempt to take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose do not take the missed dose in addition to your regular dose.

 

Seroquel Side Effects

If you experience any of the following adverse effects you should stop taking Seroquel and seek emergency medical help immediately:

• allergic reaction such as breathing difficulties, hives, swelling of your face, lips, throat or tongue
• aggressive, agitated or hostile behavior
• anxiety or panic attacks
• confusion
• depression that has increased
• difficulty concentrating and memory problems
• eye problems including eye pain, blurry vision and seeing halos around lights
• excessive hunger
• faintness
• fever
• flu like symptoms
• fruity breath odour
• increased heart rate
• increased thirst and urination
• jerky muscle movements you cannot control
• mask-like appearance of your face
• speech problems
• stiff and rigid muscles
• suicidal thoughts or thought about hurting yourself
• sweating
• tremors
• trouble breathing or shallow breath
• trouble swallowing
• unusual thoughts or behaviour
• white patches or sores on your lips and mouth

Less serious side effects of Seroquel may include:

• breast swelling or discharge
• constipation
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• dry mouth
• increased appetite with weight gain
• missed menstrual periods
• nausea
• sore throat
• tired feeling
• upset stomach
• vomiting

It should be noted that this is not a complete list of possible side effects of Seroquel. You should contact your physician for a complete list and medical advice regarding these effects.

 

Seroquel Description and Dosing

Seroquel is available in the United States as tablets in the following dosages:

25 milligram tablets, which are round and peach colored

50 milligram tablets, which are round and white.

100 milligram tablets, which are round and yellow.

200 milligram tablets, which are round and white.

300 milligram tablets, which are capsule shaped and white

400 milligrams tablets, which are capsule shaped and yellow.

All people taking Seroquel should consult their doctor for specific dosing pertaining to them. Do not attempt to alter or change your dose without your physician’s consent.

If you suspect that you have overdosed with Seroquel you should seek emergency help immediately.

 

Ingredients in Seroquel

The primary active ingredient in Seroquel is quetiapine fumarate. Inactive ingredients are povidone, dibasic dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, polyethylene glycol, and titanium dioxide. The 25 milligram tablets contain red and yellow ferric oxide. The 100 milligram and 400 milligram tablets contain only yellow ferric oxide.

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