This active ingredient is in Seroquel
The active ingredient in Seroquel is quetiapine. It belongs to the group of atypical antipsychotics and interacts with numerous docking sites of nerve messengers (neurotransmitter receptors) in the central nervous system.
Its effect in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is mainly attributed to the inhibition of serotonin and dopamine receptors. In this way, the antidepressant and antipsychotic effects are mediated (antipsychotic = effective against hallucinations, delusions, states of confusion, etc.).
In doing so, Seroquel causes fewer so-called extrapyramidal side effects (movement disorders) than older antipsychotics.
When is Seroquel used?
The drug is used to treat:
- Schizophrenia (complex mental illness that affects thinking, cognition, and other processes).
- Depression
What are the side effects of Seroquel?
The most common Seroquel side effects are drowsiness, headache, dizziness, dry mouth, movement disorders, and changes in cholesterol levels.
Often, taking Seroquel causes weight gain, increased appetite, and water retention in the legs (edema). A change in hormone levels, an acceleration of the heartbeat, blurred vision, difficulty breathing, and a drop in blood pressure are also possible.
Occasionally, overreactions of the immune system, the development of diabetes, seizures, brief unconsciousness, slowing of the heartbeat, inflammation of the nasal mucosa, difficulty swallowing, impaired urination, and sexual dysfunction have been reported.
Extremely rarely, the drug causes a strong intolerance reaction with respiratory swelling, drop in blood pressure and unconsciousness or the dissolution of skeletal muscles.
In addition, psychological discomfort may also occur during ingestion. These include fears that cannot be justified, nightmares and suicidal thoughts, which in rare cases can develop into suicidal behavior.
If you experience symptoms of this type or side effects not mentioned, please consult a doctor immediately. He or she will discuss the further course of action with you.
Abrupt discontinuation without first gradually reducing the Seroquel dose may cause insomnia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, and irritability.
What you should be aware of when using Seroquel
The daily dose of normal tablets is divided into several individual doses, each of which should be taken with sufficient liquid. Seroquel sustained-release tablets (release the active substance with a delay) are taken once a day one hour before meals.
The sustained-release tablets should not be crushed, crushed, or divided because the delayed-release effect will be lost.
Seroquel: contraindications
The drug Seroquel must not be used in:
- hypersensitivity to the active substance contained or to other components of the medicine
- concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors, e.g., some HIV medications, antifungal agents from the azole group (such as ketoconazole and itraconazole), macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin and clarithromycin)
Seroquel: warnings and precautions
- pre-existing cardiovascular problems (e.g. cardiac arrhythmias, low blood pressure)
- Strokes
- liver function disorders
- @ pre-existing seizures
- Diabetes mellitus (diabetes)
- abnormalities in the blood count (especially with regard to white blood cells)
- dementia
If your doctor wants to prescribe Seroquel and you are already taking other medications, you should tell him or her. This is especially true if:
- medicines used to treat epilepsy (seizures)
- medicines that affect blood pressure or heart activity
- medicines to treat sleep disorders
- @ other antipsychotic drugs (thioridazine or lithium-containing preparations)
Do not take the medicine with alcoholic beverages, as taking both substances at the same time may cause excessive drowsiness.
Seroquel: pregnancy and lactation
Newborns exposed to antipsychotics, including Seroquel, during the last trimester of pregnancy are at greater risk for extrapyramidal movement disorders, agitation, and feeding problems.
If Seroquel must be used during breastfeeding, early weaning may be advisable because the drug passes into breast milk and can be transferred to the infant. Experts at the Pharmacovigilance and Advisory Center for Embryonic Toxicology at Charité-Universitätsmedizin consider monotherapy of the Seroquel active ingredient to be acceptable under good observation of the child.
Seroquel: ability to drive and operate machines
Seroquel acts in the central nervous system and may limit the ability to perform activities that require attention. Therefore, you should wait to operate vehicles and machinery until it is clear how your body responds to the drug.
Seroquel: children and adolescents
In Switzerland, Seroquel may be used for the treatment of schizophrenia from the age of 13, and for the treatment of bipolar disorder from the age of ten. However, this only applies to the non-retarded tablets.
How to obtain Seroquel
Seroquel is available in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland as a prescription medication from pharmacies upon presentation of a prescription. It can be purchased in different active ingredient concentrations (25 mg to 400 mg).
