Author: Charles Frank

Quetiapine Seroquel: Uses & Side Effects

The data accessed from RELIS is freely available to staff at RELIS, and no review or approval was required for this research. No further data, besides what is included in the manuscript, will be shared. The seeming paucity of evidence for either of the preceding postulated theories does not exclude some unique intrinsic property of the compound that offers an appealing internal experience for users. Nor does this impression exclude the potential for quetiapine to be subject to abuse because of some unknown pharmacological effect (e.g., an anticholinergic effect) and/or unexpected additive effect with common substances of abuse.

Seroquel Addiction Treatment

This study is a retrospective review evaluating the intentional recreational abuse of quetiapine compared to other SGAs reported to the National Poison Data System (NPDS) from September 1, 2003, to September 1, 2013. Approval for this study was obtained from the institutional review board human subjects research committee. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions. Prescription pattern of quetiapine according to daily doses. A treatment center will attempt to verify your health insurance benefits and/or necessary authorizations on your behalf.

Despite that, the researchers cautioned that even low doses of Quetiapine to treat these conditions might lead to adverse side effects. However, another study on the use of Seroquel for anxiety showed a significant improvement in the symptoms of individuals with GAD within the first week of treatment with Quetiapine using a once-a-day dose of extended-release formulations. Among the leading causes of the drug’s abuse are taking it at a medically unapproved dose and for medically unapproved purposes. Failure to comply with the treatment schedule prescribed by the doctor and little available information on the drug’s abuse potential can also commonly lead to addiction to this drug. According to a summary of receptor potencies printed in the Canadian Medical Association Journal17 and Horacek et al,18 the potency of quetiapine at the D2 receptor site is relatively lower than most, if not all, of the remaining atypical antipsychotics.

What may interact with this medication?

At this stage, professional supervision is a must, most notably in managing other co-occurring illnesses or disorders. Detox from this antipsychotic should never be attempted without professional help. Seroquel withdrawal symptoms are known to be severe if not managed well. The discomfort of experiencing withdrawal symptoms may also discourage a patient from continuing with treatment and therapy, which makes proper management all the more critical. Therefore taking the first step towards recovery involves seeking help at a drug rehab center. The physical signs of quetiapine abuse typically manifest as side effects of the drug.

The RELIS Database

The rate of dystonia in the quetiapine abuse cohort was extremely low, with only 0.6% of cases manifesting this clinical effect. The pathophysiology of drug-induced dystonia is not wholly agreed upon. Considering the inherent antimuscarinic activity of quetiapine, olanzapine and clozapine, it is not surprising these three cohorts had the lowest rates of dystonia. This relative infrequency of dystonia in the quetiapine cohort could hypothetically contribute to quetiapine’s higher incidence of abuse, as dystonia is generally viewed as an undesirable side effect.

Intentional Recreational Abuse of Quetiapine Compared to Other Second-generation Antipsychotics

  1. Therapies provided to patients who intentionally abused second-generation antipsychotics (SGA).
  2. For the first part of the investigation, we analyzed demographic data.
  3. Quetiapine is increasingly being used as a sedative and hypnotic drug, especially in the treatment of addiction disorders.

However, a review of the research literature lends little support to these warnings. Analysis revealed that the average number of prescriptions was the same in the three groups (2 prescriptions), and 50 % of the patients had a maximum of two prescriptions in all groups. However, the maximum number of prescriptions was seen in the psychosis group (up to 19 prescriptions), followed by the MDA group (up to 11 prescriptions) and the depression group (up to 6 prescriptions) (Fig. 3). On the other hand, the highest median duration of therapy was in the psychosis group, followed by depression, then the MDA group (Fig. 4).

Study Setting

Data collected includes demographical data, diagnosis, dose of quetiapine (mg/day), number of prescriptions, duration of therapy (weeks), and previous & current anti-psychotic medications. All extracted data were stored in electronic format using a Microsoft Excel sheet and retrospectively analyzed. Although it is not currently classified as a controlled substance, tighter restrictions should be put on the availability and use of Quetiapine due to its potential for abuse. The antipsychotic should only be used when prescribed by a doctor and only as prescribed. This reduces the chances of becoming dependent on the drug and subsequently developing an addiction to the medication.

If an individual SGA had fewer than 50 total cases reported to the NPDS over the 10-year period, it was excluded from comparative analysis as an individual cohort, but was still included in the cohort of all other antipsychotics combined. Quetiapine is dispensed in a wide dose range (150 to 800 mg per day) for different conditions (Klein-Schwartz et al., 2014). However, the common dose range for insomnia is smaller and ranges from 25 to 200 mg per day (Coe and Hong 2012). In our study, the dose range prescribed for MDA patients was smaller than for depressive and psychosis groups. This may indicate that those patients are using quetiapine for its sedative effects.

The current study aims to assess and analyze the prescribing patterns of quetiapine between different indications (Multiple drug abuse, depression, and psychosis). So usually, families do not declare nor seek any medical support. In the whole sample, 89.9 % of the patients were males, and 10.1 % were females. In terms of indications, 46.2 % of patients used quetiapine for MDA, 29.7 % for psychosis, and 24.1 % for depression. For all indications, quetiapine was used with an average daily dose of 285.2 ± 222 mg and for a duration of 13.9 ± 15.4 weeks.