Quetiapine (seroquel) – drug description

Quetiapine (quetiapine, seroquel, seroquel – XR) is an atypical antipsychotic. It is used for schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder (depression and mania), both as monotherapy and as an adjuvant to lithium or valproates. It is also used as an adjuvant in major depressive disorder, causing only relief of depressive symptoms in this case. Quetiapine is used in Parkinson’s disease psychosis, Lewy body dementia, treatment of resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism, alcoholism, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, sleep disorders and to alleviate anxiety.

Quetiapine is a benzodiazapine derivative which, in small doses, affects the blockade of H1, H2 and alpha-1-adrenergic receptors. In high doses, as with most neuroleptics, it blocks D2? D3 and 5-HT2A receptors. Quetiapine binds D2, D3 receptors to a much lesser degree than haloperidol and therefore has a weaker ability to cause extrapyramidal symptoms. Its effect on other receptors reduces the severity of depression and improves cognitive functioning. In schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder, effects of quetiapine should be seen within a few days, but possibly as long as a few weeks (4-6 weeks) or months, with careful titration of the quetiapine dose to achieve a clear clinical effect. Sleep disturbance can be resolved very quickly. If there is no effect on vetiapine, switching to clozapine is recommended to buy seroquel online.

Quetiapine side effects: extrapyramidal symptoms, sedation, weight gain due to blockade of H1 receptors, hypotension (blockade of alpha 1 – adrenoreceptors), dry mouth, constipation (blockade of muscarinic receptors). Dyskinesia (less frequent than with other antipsychotics), weight gain, diabetes mellitus and prolongation of the QTc segment have been reported as dangerous side effects. The average dose of therapy for bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia is 150 to 800 mg per day. Parkinson’s disease psychosis and Lewy body dementia 25-200 mg per day.