Seroquel

How does it work?

Seroquel tablets contain the active ingredient quetiapine, which is a type of medicine known as an atypical antipsychotic.

Quetiapine works in the brain, where it affects various neurotransmitters, in particular serotonin (5HT) and dopamine. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are stored in nerve cells and are involved in transmitting messages between the nerve cells.

Dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters known to be involved in regulating mood and behaviour, amongst other things. Psychotic illness is considered to be caused by disturbances in the activity of neurotransmitters (mainly dopamine) in the brain. Schizophrenia is known to be associated with an overactivity of dopamine in the brain, and this may be associated with the delusions and hallucinations that are a feature of this disease.

Quetiapine works by blocking the receptors in the brain that dopamine acts on. This prevents the excessive activity of dopamine and helps to control schizophrenia.

Schizophrenic patients may experience 'positive symptoms' (such as hallucinations, disturbances of thought, hostility) and/or 'negative symptoms' (such as lack of emotion and social isolation). Quetiapine is effective in relieving both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia, whereas the conventional antipsychotics are usually less effective against the negative symptoms.

Quetiapine is also used by specialists to treat episodes of mania in people with the psychiatric illness, bipolar affective disorder (manic depression).

What is it used for?

Schizophrenia

Manic episodes of manic depression

Warning!

This medicine may make you feel sleepy, particularly when you first start treatment. This generally gets better after the first couple of weeks. If affected do not drive or operate machinery. Alcohol should be avoided.

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, you should not suddenly stop taking this medicine, even if you feel better and think you don't need it any more. This is because the medicine controls the symptoms of the illness but doesn't actually cure it. This means that if you suddenly stop treatment your symptoms could come back. Stopping the medicine suddenly may also rarely cause withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, difficulty sleeping or abnormal involuntary muscle movements. When treatment with this medicine is stopped, it should be done gradually, following the instructions given by your doctor.

This medicine can cause some people to put on weight. Talk to your doctor about this before you start treatment so that you can discuss strategies, such as diet and exercise, for minimising any weight gain.

This medicine can occasionally cause your blood pressure to drop when you move from a lying down or sitting position to sitting or standing, especially when you first start taking the medicine. This may make you feel dizzy or unsteady and could make you faint. To avoid this try getting up slowly. If you do feel dizzy, sit or lie down until the symptoms pass.

Consult your doctor immediately if you experience abnormal movements, particularly of the face, lips, jaw and tongue, while taking this medicine. These symptoms may be indicative of a rare side effect known as tardive dyskinesia, and your doctor may ask you to stop taking this medicine, or decrease your dose.

Consult your doctor immediately if you experience the following symptoms while taking this medicine: high fever, sweating, muscle stiffness, faster breathing and drowsiness or sleepiness. These symptoms may be due to a rare side effect known as the neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and your treatment may need to be stopped.

You should also consult your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following side effects while taking this medicine: fever, persistent sore throat or mouth ulcers; fits or seizures; allergic reactions such as raised lumps (weals), swelling of the skin and swelling around the mouth; or a long-lasting and painful erection (priapism). These side effects are rare, but may be serious and may require urgent medical attention.

The safety and efficacy of this medicine have not been established in children and adolescents.

Use with caution in

Elderly people

Decreased kidney function

Decreased liver function

Diabetes and people at risk of diabetes

Disease involving the heart and blood vessels

Disease of the blood vessels in and around the brain

Low blood pressure (hypotension)

History of seizures, eg epilepsy

Low white blood cell count (leucopenia)

History of low white blood cell count (leucopenia) caused by a medicine

Not to be used in

Allergy to any ingredient

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

The safety of this medicine in pregnancy has not been established. It should therefore be used with caution during pregnancy, and only if the benefits to the mother outweigh any potential risks to the foetus. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

It is not known whether this medicine passes into breast milk. Mothers who need to take this medicine should not breastfeed their infants. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

Label warnings

This medication may cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinery. Avoid alcoholic drink.

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