quetiapine

What is the most important information I should know about quetiapine?

People with depression or mental illness may have thoughts about suicide. Some young people may have increased suicidal thoughts when first starting quetiapine. Tell your doctor right away if you have any sudden changes in mood or behavior, or thoughts about suicide.

What is quetiapine?

Quetiapine is used to treat schizophrenia in adults and children who are at least 13 years old.

Quetiapine is used alone or in combination with divalproex or lithium to treat manic episodes in adults with bipolar disorder.

Quetiapine is also used to treat depressive episodes in adults with bipolar disorder.

Quetiapine is also used alone to treat manic episodes in children at least 10 years old with bipolar disorder.

Quetiapine extended release is used in combination with antidepressant medications to treat major depressive disorder in adults.

Quetiapine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking quetiapine?

People with depression or mental illness may have thoughts about suicide. Some young people may have increased suicidal thoughts when first starting a medicine to treat depression. Stay alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your family or caregivers should also watch for sudden changes in your behavior.

Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had:

• a nervous system reaction associated with antipsychotic medication use;
• heart disease, a heart attack or stroke;
• long QT syndrome (in you or a family member);
• an electrolyte imbalance (such as low blood levels of potassium or magnesium);
• high or low blood pressure;
• low white blood cell (WBC) counts;
• abnormal thyroid tests or prolactin levels;
• an enlarged prostate, constipation or urination problems;
• a seizure;
• glaucoma or cataracts;
• diabetes (in you or a family member);
• high cholesterol or triglycerides; or
• liver disease.

Taking antipsychotic medicine in the last 3 months of pregnancy may cause serious problems in the newborn. Tell your doctor right away if you get pregnant. Do not stop the medicine without your doctor's advice.

It may be harder for you to get pregnant while you are using this medicine.

If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry to track the effects of quetiapine on the baby.

Ask a doctor if it is safe to breastfeed while using this medicine.

How should I take quetiapine?

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

You may take quetiapine with or without food, but take it the same way each time.

Your blood may need to be checked on a regular basis, and you may need other medical tests.

Your blood pressure may need to be checked often.

Do not stop using quetiapine suddenly, your condition may get worse, or you could have unpleasant symptoms (such as trouble sleeping, nausea and vomiting). Ask your doctor before stopping the medicine.

This medicine may cause false results on a drug-screening urine test. Tell the laboratory staff that you use quetiapine.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose?

What should I avoid while taking quetiapine?

Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise, in hot weather, or by not drinking enough fluids. Drink plenty of liquids while you are receiving quetiapine.

What are the possible side effects of quetiapine?

High doses or long-term use of quetiapine can cause a serious movement disorder that may not be reversible. The longer you use quetiapine, the more likely you are to develop this disorder, especially if you are a woman or an older adult.

Tell your doctor right away if you have new or sudden changes in mood or behavior, including new or worse depression or anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, more active or talkative, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

• uncontrolled muscle movements in your face (chewing, lip smacking, frowning, tongue movement, blinking or eye movement);
• breast swelling and tenderness, nipple discharge, impotence, missed menstrual periods;
• trouble swallowing, severe constipation;
• painful or difficult urination;
• high blood pressure, fast, slow or uneven heart rate;
• a light-headed feeling, sudden numbness or weakness, severe headache;
• blurred vision, eye pain or redness, seeing halos around lights;
• a seizure, feeling unusually hot or cold;
• signs of infection --fever, chills, sore throat, body aches, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite, bruising or bleeding;
• severe nervous system reaction --very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, feeling like you might pass out;
• underactive thyroid --tiredness, depressed mood, dry skin, thinning hair, decreased sweating, weight gain, puffiness in your face, feeling more sensitive to cold temperatures;
• high blood sugar --increased thirst, increased urination, dry mouth, fruity breath odor; or
• low white blood cell counts --fever, mouth sores, skin sores, sore throat, cough.

Common side effects may include:

• speech problems;
• dizziness, drowsiness, tiredness;
• feeling like you might pass out;
• lack of energy;
• fast heartbeats;
• increased appetite, weight gain;
• upset stomach, vomiting, constipation;
• stomach pain, nausea;
• abnormal liver function tests, sore throat;
• stuffy nose, dry mouth; or
• difficulty moving.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect quetiapine?

Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medicines at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you use, which may increase side effects or make the medicines less effective.

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

• bronchodilator asthma medication;
• cold or allergy medicine (Benadryl and others);
• medicine to treat overactive bladder;
• medicine to treat Parkinson's disease; or
• medicine to treat stomach problems, motion sickness, or irritable bowel syndrome.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect quetiapine. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about quetiapine.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 18.01. Revision date: 7/17/2023.