Seroquel is the brand name for the drug quetiapine and is made by the pharmaceutical company AstraZenica. According to AstraZenica, Seroquel is a psychotropic drug and a dibenzotiazepine derivative. It comes in the form of yellow or off-white tablets, and is available in doses from 25mg up to 400mg. Seroquel is a neurotransmitter receptor antagonist, meaning it blocks receptors in the brain that bind to neurotransmitters such as dopamine, histamine and adrenergic hormone receptors.
Schizophrenia and Bipolar Treatment
Seroquel is a medication approved for the treatment of schizophrenia by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to AstraZenica and a December 2009 article published on the PsychCentral website. AstraZenica reports that the efficacy of Seroquel was demonstrated in three clinical trials in adults and one clinical trial in adolescents (13-17 years of age). PsychCentral also reports the FDA has approved Seroquel for the treatment of bipolar disorder. AstraZenica reports that the efficacy of this drug for the treatment of bipolar disorder was shown in three clinical trials in adults and one clinical trial in young patients (10 to 17 years old).
Side Effects
In clinical trials, according to AstraZenica, users reported various side effects after using Seroquel. These side effects include: sleepiness (18 percent), dizziness (11 percent), dry mouth (9 percent), constipation (8 percent) and weight gain (5 percent).
In clinical trials testing the efficacy of Seroquel for the treatment of both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the percent of patients who discontinued use because of side effects were roughly the same between placebo and Seroquel (about 5 percent). Thus, even though patients taking Seroquel may have experienced side effects, they were not severe enough that they stopped taking the medication.
An additional warning about the use of Seroquel was described in a letter from AstraZenica, requested by the FDA in April 2004, indicating that taking Seroquel increases the risk of hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar) and diabetes.
Not To Be Stopped Suddenly
In the medication guide published by AstraZenica and approved by the FDA, the pharmaceutical company advises that users of Seroquel do not discontinue using the drug abruptly and should take precautions when weaning off of this medication. AstraZenica advises that patients who want to stop using the drug should consult a health care provider.
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