Olanzapine: Understanding, How It Works, Usage, Consumption Pattern, Interaction, Storage, Precautions, Side Effects

Waqar Ahmad May 31, 2024

0 21 5 minutes read

Olanzapine: Understanding, How It Works, Usage, Consumption Pattern, Interaction, Storage, Precautions, Side Effects

Are you also wondering about the details of the antipsychotic drug Olanzapine? If yes then read the whole article carefully to increase your knowledge. It is a drug that is particularly utilized to treat mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, and their symptoms of mania depression, hallucination, and mood swings.

The brand name of this medicine is Zyprexa and it functions by helping to recover the balance of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine to boost your mood.

Despite this, this medicine also has some side effects that may include muscle stiffness, dizziness, weight gain, high fever, dry mouth, and Tardive Dyskinesia(TD). If you are allergic to this medicine should inform your psychiatrist. The amount of your dose depends upon the severity of your condition.

In this article you get comprehensive information about Olanzapine, its understanding, how it functions, usage, consumption pattern, interaction, storage, precautions, and side effects.

Table of Contents

What Is Olanzapine

It is an Atypical Antipsychotic drug with the brand name Zyprexa and a generic name is oh-LANZ-a-peen. It is used for the treatment of certain mental health disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with episodes of mania and depression.

This drug can be given to children, but they should be at least 13 years old. Additionally, it is also utilized together with Prozac to overcome the symptoms of depression episodes in adults and children who have bipolar disorder.

This drug is also well balanced the level of dopamine and serotonin hormones in your brain. It also helps to manage your thoughts of patterns and regulate your mood and behavior.

How Does Olanzapine Function In Our Brain

It belongs to a class of drugs called atypical antipsychotic drugs that function by affecting the neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin in the brain. It works on dopamine D2R

that helps to enhance your sleep, attention, memory, and learning. This drug also increases the effect of serotonin reuptake inhibitors by repressing GABA.

It is well consumed and reaches its peak absorption six hours after oral administration. The drug is greatly metabolized by first-go metabolism. The absorption of the drug does not create issues by the presence of food. It may take some days or sometimes weeks to see visual improvement.

How Should We Consume Olanzapine

Swallow this drug with a glass of water and follow the instructions that are written on the prescription list. Take your pills regularly and always consume the drug as prescribed by your psychiatrist.

Talk to your therapist about the employ of this drug in children. Some psychologists and psychiatrists recommend this drug for 13-year-old children.

Overdosage

If you believe you have taken double the amount of this medicine then immediately contact a poison control center or your doctor.

What If I Skip My Dose

If you skip a dose, take it as soon as possible. Always keep in mind to take only one dose at once don’t take overdoses.

Utilisation Of Olanzapine

It helps to treat symptoms of specific mental health disorders such as schizophrenia disorder in which patients have trouble thinking, lack of motivation, and inability to speak. The drug may also be employed in combination with other drugs to treat depression symptoms such as low mood, suicidal thoughts, and low self-esteem.

It is also used for the treatment of bipolar disorder with episodes of mania and depression that cause severe mood swings with sentimental highs and lows. It is also used for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions in which persons hear or see things that are not happening.

Precautions Of Olanzapine

What are the main precautionary measures of this drug? Let’s disclose it together, it has risk factors in patients who are allergic or hypersensitive to this drug. There is a black boxed warning for this drug, particularly dementia patients are not allowed to take this medicine.

It is also essential to avoid alcohol when you are consuming this medicine. Old dementia patients have large risk factors such as heart failure, and immediate death due to cardiac disease. It can have bad effects on weight gain and metabolic function, so psychiatrists need to exercise care when recommending it to patients who are obese or have diabetes mellitus.

Storage Of Olanzapine

Always store this drug at room temperature keep away from light and damp places, so don’t store it in the bathroom. Keep all tablets away from children and pets’ reach. Correctly throw out this drug when it is expired or no longer required.

Interaction Of Olanzapine

Are there any specific drugs that should be avoided while taking Zyprexa? Yes here are some drugs list that should be avoided with this medicine. It is essential to inform your psychiatrist about all the medications that you are taking.

Zyprexa may interact with the following drugs it includes:

Pimozide
Metoclopramide
Dronedarone
⁠Thioridazine
Cisapride⁠

This medication may also interact with various drugs such as

Alcohol
Carbamazepine
Fluvoxamine
Narcotic drugs
Drugs for Seizures ⁠⁠like Propranolol
Drugs that are used for travel disorders
Rifampin
Antidepressant medicines like amitriptyline, sertraline
Stomach pain relief medication such as hyoscyamine
Phenothiazines

Side Effects of Olanzapine

Are there any serious or rare side effects associated with this drug? Yes, here are some serious or rare side effects that we should know about.

Common side effects include

Constipation
Atypical Behaviour
Restlessness
Trouble in Sleep
Heart Rate Problems
Dry mouth
Low Sex Drive
Increased breast size
Weight Gain
Muscles Ache in Legs, Arms, Joints, or Back

Intended side effects include

Muscle tightness
Extreme Sweating
Blurred Vision
Heat Rash
Respiratory Problems
Difficulty in Swallowing
Chilled High Fever
Sore throat

Conclusion

In conclusion, Olanzapine is an Atypical Antipsychotic drug that is used to overcome the symptoms of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. It is a very effective drug but it is essential to be aware of its side effects such as weight gain, heart beat fast and low, blurred vision, and more.

You can swallow this medicine with a glass of water and never skip your dose if you’re prescribed this drug. Psychiatrists are always aware of it when they prescribe it to patients who are obese or have diabetes mellitus because this medicine increases the amount of sugar in your blood.

Lastly, look through the complete article about Olanzapine and share your opinion with us if you still have any queries. Thank You!

FAQs

1: How do we know if olanzapine is working?

It can usually take up to 5 to 6 weeks for this drug to view its effects, but some studies proved that good effect on some individuals within the first week of consuming it.

2: What effect does Zyprexa have on normal people?

It is suggested for patients who have long-term schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In typical individuals intake of this medicine increases weight by 2 to 3kg within 6 weeks. It also includes dry mouth, tremors, restlessness, and muscle contractions.