Olanzapine Drug: Indication, Dosage, Precaution, Side Effect , Storage, Category Type and corresponding Brands - www.genericdrugscan.com
Olanzapine
Drug Status in USA : ApprovedDrug Status in Canada : Approved
pronunciation
pronounced as (oh lan' za peen)
Why is this medication prescribed?
Olanzapine is used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions) in adults and teenagers 13 years of age and older. It is also used to treat bipolar disorder (manic depressive disorder; a disease that causes episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal moods) in adults and teenagers 13 years of age and older. Olanzapine is in a class of medications called atypical antipsychotics. It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain.
How should this medicine be used?
Olanzapine comes as a tablet and an orally disintegrating tablet (tablet that dissolves quickly in the mouth) to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day with or without food. Take olanzapine at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take olanzapine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Do not try to push the orally disintegrating tablet through the foil. Instead, use dry hands to peel back the foil packaging. Immediately take out the tablet and place it in your mouth. The tablet will quickly dissolve and can be swallowed with or without liquid.
Your doctor may start you on a low dose of olanzapine and gradually increase your dose.
Olanzapine may help control your symptoms, but it will not cure your condition. It may take several weeks or longer before you feel the full benefit of olanzapine. Continue to take olanzapine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking olanzapine without talking to your doctor. Your doctor will probably want to decrease your dose gradually.
What are the precautions to be followed?
Before taking olanzapine,- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to olanzapine or any other medications.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: antidepressants; antihistamines; carbamazepine (Tegretol); dopamine agonists such as bromocriptine (Parlodel), cabergoline (Dostinex), levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa), pergolide (Permax), and ropinirole (Requip); fluoroquinolone antibiotics including ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gatifloxacin (Tequin) (not available in the United States), levofloxacin (Levaquin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), others; fluvoxamine (Luvox); ipratropium (Atrovent); medications for anxiety, high blood pressure, irritable bowel disease, mental illness, motion sickness, Parkinson's disease, seizures, ulcers, or urinary problems; omeprazole (Prilosec); rifampin (Rifadin); sedatives; sleeping pills; ticlopidine (Ticlid); and tranquilizers. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
- tell your doctor if you use or have ever used street drugs or have overused prescription medications and if you have or have ever had a stroke, a mini-stroke, heart disease or a heart attack, an irregular heartbeat, seizures, breast cancer, any condition that makes it difficult for you to swallow, high or low blood pressure, a high level of fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) in your blood, a low number of white blood cells, liver or prostate disease, paralytic ileus (condition in which food cannot move through the intestine); glaucoma (an eye condition), or high blood sugar, or if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had diabetes. Tell your doctor if you have severe vomiting or diarrhea or signs of dehydration now, or if you develop these symptoms at any time during your treatment. Also tell your doctor if you have ever had to stop taking a medication for mental illness because of severe side effects.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, especially if you are in the last few months of your pregnancy, or if you plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking olanzapine, call your doctor. Olanzapine may cause problems in newborns following delivery if it is taken during the last months of pregnancy.
- if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking olanzapine.
- you should know that olanzapine may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
- you should know that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication. Do not drink alcohol while taking olanzapine.
- tell your doctor if you use tobacco products. Cigarette smoking may decrease the effectiveness of this medication.
- you should know that you may experience hyperglycemia (increases in your blood sugar) while you are taking this medication, even if you do not already have diabetes. If you have schizophrenia, you are more likely to develop diabetes than people who do not have schizophrenia, and taking olanzapine or similar medications may increase this risk. Tell your doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms while you are taking olanzapine: extreme thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, blurred vision, or weakness. It is very important to call your doctor as soon as you have any of these symptoms, because high blood sugar can cause a serious condition called ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis may become life-threatening if it is not treated at an early stage. Symptoms of ketoacidosis include: dry mouth, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, breath that smells fruity, and decreased consciousness.
- you should know that olanzapine may cause fast or slow heartbeat, dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up too quickly from a lying position. This is more common when you first start taking olanzapine. To avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.
- you should know that olanzapine may make it harder for your body to cool down when it gets very hot. Tell your doctor if you plan to do vigorous exercise or be exposed to extreme heat.
- if you have phenylketonuria (PKU, an inherited condition in which a special diet must be followed to prevent mental retardation), you should know that the orally disintegrating tablets contain aspartame that forms phenylalanine.
- you should know that when olanzapine is used to treat teenagers, it must be used as part of a total treatment program that may include counseling and educational support. Make sure that your child follows all of the doctor's and/or therapist's instructions.
What are possible side effects of this medication ?
Olanzapine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:- drowsiness
- dizziness
- restlessness
- unusual behavior
- depression
- difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- weakness
- difficulty walking
- constipation
- weight gain
- dry mouth
- pain in arms, legs, back, or joints
- breast enlargement or discharge
- late or missed menstrual periods
- decreased sexual ability
- seizures
- changes in vision
- swelling of the arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
- unusual movements of your face or body that you cannot control
- sore throat, fever, chills, and other signs of infection
- very stiff muscles
- excess sweating
- fast or irregular heartbeat
- rash that may occur with fever, swollen glands, or swelling of the face
- skin redness or peeling
- hives
- difficulty breathing or swallowing
Olanzapine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
Taking olanzapine may cause the level of fats in your blood to increase. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking olanzapine.
Teenagers who take olanzapine are more likely than adults who take olanzapine to gain weight, have increased levels of fat in their blood, develop liver problems, and experience side effects such as sleepiness, breast enlargement, and discharge from the breasts. Talk to your child's doctor about the risks of treating your child with olanzapine. Your child's doctor may choose to first prescribe a different medication that does not have these risks.
How to store the medication and dispose it of after its use later?
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Always store the orally disintegrating tablets in their sealed package, and use them immediately after opening the package.
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program.
Drug Category/Class
- Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
- Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists
- Nervous System
- Psycholeptics
- Diazepines, Oxazepines, Thiazepines and Oxepines
- H2 Antagonists
- Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C19 Inducers
- Antipsychotic Agents
- Antiemetics
- Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 Inhibitors
- Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9 Inhibitors
- Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 Inducers
- Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9 Inducers
- CYP2D6 Ind
| Prescribed | For the acute and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, as well as acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes of ... |
| Weight : | 312.432 |
| Structure | Olanzapine |
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| Formula | C17H20N4S |
Olanzapine has 337 Brands listed
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