What is Quetiapine? Understanding, How Does It Work, Consumption Pattern, Usage, Storage, Precautions, Side Effects, FAD Warning

Hamza Ashraf March 17, 2024

0 37 5 minutes read

What is Quetiapine? Understanding, How Does It Work, Consumption Pattern, Usage, Storage, Precautions, Side Effects, FAD Warning

Are you curious to know about psychotic drugs? Do you have any knowledge about the very effective drug Quetiapine? If not, then don’t worry we provide complete knowledge about this drug in detail so read the whole article carefully. It is an antipsychotic drug that treats numerous types of mental disorders particularly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and Major Depressive Disorder.

It stabilizes the activity of dopamine and serotonin in your brain. These hormones help to improve your mood, behaviors feelings, and thoughts. The brand name of this medication is Seroquel® and the generic name of this medication is Kwe TYE a peen.

It is also used to overcome the symptoms of schizophrenia in adults who are approximately 13-17 years old. You can consume this drug alone or with divalproex or lithium to treat episodes of mania and depression in patients with Bipolar disorder.

In this article, you hunt through the complete details of Quetiapine, its understanding, how it functions, consumption pattern, usage, storage, precautions, side effects, and FAD warning.

Table of Contents

Understanding Of Quetiapine

It is an Atypical Antipsychotic Drug that is utilized to overcome the symptoms of Schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder( manic depression). It is eatable as standard pills, gradually-release pills, or liquid (20mg).

Moreover, Quetiapine balances the levels of dopamine and serotonin hormones in your brain. These hormones help to improve your mood, behaviors, and thoughts. The brand name of this drug is Seroquel®, so many people are well known by its brand name.

How Quetiapine Does Function In Our Brain

It functions very well in the brain, where it manages numerous neurotransmitters, especially serotonin and dopamine. Dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters widely known to be participating in boosting mood, behavior, thinking, and perception.

As we know most mental disorders appear because of the disruption in the activity of neurotransmitters especially the disturbance of the dopamine hormone. For example, Schizophrenia disorder is caused by the overactivity of dopamine with the signs of delusions and hallucinations. So, Quetiapine functions by restricting the sensory organs in the brain that dopamine carries out.

The Consumption Pattern Of Quetiapine

Take this drug as recommended by your psychiatrist, and follow all instructions that are written on your prescription label or your medical slip. You are allowed to consume this drug with a glass of water or after eating food but keep in mind to consume it the same way every time.

You can gulp down the pills whole and do not crush, chew, or break them. Your blood sugar level should be checked daily after consuming this drug. Do not quit utilizing this drug suddenly, otherwise, your situation may get worse or you could have unwelcome signs such as difficulty sleeping, nausea, and vomiting.

What Comes Off If We Skip a Daily Dose?

Take your dose daily, but you can skip the missed dose if it is time for your second dose. Do not consume two doses at one time it’s very harmful for you.

What Are the Consequences If We Intake Double Doses?

Immediately search for emergency medical attention or call the Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

Usage Of Quetiapine

Why do we use this drug? Is it used for the treatment of mental disorders? Yes, it is widely used for the treatment of Schizophrenia Disorder, Bipolar Disorder. Schizophrenia disorder overcomes the symptoms of hallucination (which means seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not present) and delusion (which means true and false beliefs.

Bipolar disorder treats episodes of Mania and depression. Some psychiatrists utilized this medicine with the combination of Divalproex and lithium to treat Bipolar I disorder. It can be used for children above the age of 10 to treat the Manic episode.

Precautions

What are the major precautions of this drug that we should keep in mind? Here are some main precautions that are written below:

Avoid To Stop Your Medication

It should not be stopped instantly without discussion with your psychiatrist as it may cause withdrawal symptoms. It’s essential to follow your doctor’s instructions for quitting the drug if required.

Increased Risk Of Fatigue

It can cause sleepiness, so it’s essential to be careful when operating machinery or driving. Avoid alcohol and other sedating drugs like opioids while taking this drug.

Regular Examination

Your psychiatrist may want to monitor your progress and conduct regular examinations to assess the effectiveness of the medication and control any possibility of side effects.

Possibility Of Metabolic Changes

It may lead to metabolic changes such as increased blood sugar levels, weight gain, and high cholesterol. Your psychiatrist may monitor these signs and guide controlling them.

Chances Of Movement Disorder In a few cases, it may cause movement disorders such as tardive dyskinesia (TD). If you experience any abnormal movements, inform your doctor immediately.

Storage

Please don’t store this drug in humid or damp places such as bathrooms.
Always store this drug at room temperature between 15°C to 30°C.
Keep this drug aside from light.

Quetiapine Side Effects

What are the most common or intense side effects? The effects of the drugs are based on the drug form and condition of patients. Here is a list of some common and intense side effects.

Common Side Effects

Vomiting
Nausea
Sore Throat
Difficulty In Moving
Dizziness
⁠Weight Gain
Dry Mouth
Weakness
⁠Rapid Heartbeat
⁠Stomach Disease
Nasal Congestion
Hyperphagia (Increased Hunger)

Intense Side Effects

Immediately call your doctor if you have intense side effects. Call 911 if your signs feel dangerous or if you think you are having an emergency medical service. Intense side effects and their signs such as the following:

Suicidal Thoughts
Extreme Sweating
Spasticity (rigid muscles)
Hyperglycaemia
Tardive Dyskinesia
Hypotension (fainting)
Seizures
Breast Size Increase In Men & Women’s Both
Possibility of death from stroke in dementia⁠ patients.

FAD Warning

According to the research, older people with dementia have a brain disorder in which they feel difficulty remembering, thinking communicating, and performing interpersonal relationships. According to the Food & Drug Administration, you can’t consume Quetiapine otherwise you have a higher risk of death during treatment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Quetiapine was well received by its brand name Seroquel. It is an Atypical Antipsychotic drug utilized for the treatment of mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It functions by helping to balance the level of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin to regulate mood, feelings, and emotions.

This drug is very effective in controlling the symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, depression, and mania. This drug also has some side effects, if you have allergic reactions or you do not consume it properly such as hyperphagia, extreme sweating, seizures, and suicidal thoughts. So always consume this drug as prescribed by your psychiatrist and physician.

Lastly, you get the whole detail about Quetiapine. Do you have any queries or suggestions regarding this article? If yes then feel free to share with us. Thank You!

FAQs

1: Does quetiapine calm you down?

It can help calm and tranquilize individuals, and it can be beneficial in reducing psychotic thoughts in people with schizophrenia. Additionally, it can help prevent acute manic episodes in individuals with bipolar disorder.

2: What are the uses of Seroquel?

It’s FDA-approved for certain conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. It is also used off-label for other manifestations such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

3: Is Seroquel a high-risk drug?

Yes, Seroquel has an increased risk of severe fatal side effects including stroke, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, and lung fever. Most importantly this medicine is not approved to be used for dementia patients.

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