Qutero Special Precautions

Hyperglycaemia and Diabetes Mellitus: Hyperglycemia in some cases extreme and associated with ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar coma or death, has been reported in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics.
Assessment of the relationship between atypical antipsychotics use and glucose abnormalities is complicated by the possibility of an increased background risk of diabetes mellitus in patients with schizophrenia and the increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus in the general population. Given this confounders, the relationship between atypical antipsychotic use and hyperglycemia-related adverse events is not completely understood. Precise risk estimates for hyperglycemia-related adverse events in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics are not available.
Patients with an established diagnosis of diabetes mellitus who are started on atypical antipsychotics should be monitored regularly for worsening of glucose control. Patients with risk factors for diabetes mellitus (e.g. obesity, family history of diabetes) who are starting treatment with atypical antipsychotics should undergo fasting blood glucose testing at the beginning of treatment and periodically during treatment. Any patient treated with atypical antipsychotics should be monitored for symptoms of hyperglycemia including polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, and weakness. Patients who develop symptoms of hyperglycemia during treatment with atypical antipsychotics should undergo fasting blood glucose testing. In some cases, hyperglycemia has resolved when the atypical antipsychotic was discontinued; however, some patients required continuation of anti-diabetic treatment despite discontinuation of the suspect drug.
Suicide/suicidal thoughts or clinical worsening: Depression in bipolar disorder is associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts, self-harm and suicide (suicide-related events). This risk persists until significant remission occurs. As improvement may not occur during the first few weeks or more of treatment, patients should be closely monitored until such improvement occurs. It is general that the risk of suicide may increase in the early stages of recovery. In addition, physicians should consider the potential risk of suicide-related events after abrupt cessation of quetiapine treatment, due to the known risk factors for the disease being treated.
Somnolence: Quetiapine treatment has been associated with somnolence and related symptoms, such as sedation. Bipolar depression patients experiencing somnolence of severe intensity may require more frequent contact for a minimum of 2 weeks from onset of somnolence, or until symptoms improve and treatment discontinuation may need to be considered.
Cardiovascular: Quetiapine should be used with caution in patients with known cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, or other conditions predisposing to hypotension. Quetiapine may induce orthostatic hypotension, especially during the initial dose-titration period and therefore dose reduction or more gradual titration should be considered if this occurs.
Seizures: As with other antipsychotics, caution is recommended when treating patients with a history of seizures.
Extrapyramidal symptoms: Quetiapine was associated with an increased incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) when treated for major depressive episodes in bipolar disorder.
Tardive dyskinesia: Tardive dyskinesia is a syndrome of potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements that may develop in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs including quetiapine. If signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear, dose reduction or discontinuation of Quetiapine ER should be considered. The symptoms of tardive dyskinesia can worsen or even arise after discontinuation of treatment.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome has been associated with antipsychotic treatment, including Quetiapine. Clinical manifestations include hyperthermia, altered mental status, muscular rigidity, autonomic instability, and increased creatine phosphokinase. In such an event, Quetiapine should be discontinued and appropriate medical treatment given.
Severe neutropenia: Most cases of severe neutropenia have occurred within a couple of months of starting therapy with quetiapine. There was no apparent dose relationship. Possible risk factors for neutropenia include pre-existing low white cell count (WBC) and history of drug induced neutropenia. Quetiapine should be discontinued in patients with a neutrophil count <1.0 X 10⁹/L. Patients should be observed for signs and symptoms of infection and neutrophil counts followed (until they exceed 1.5 X 10⁹/L).
Lipids: Lipid increases should be managed as clinically appropriate.
Metabolic Risk: Given the observed changes in weight, blood glucose (see hyperglycemia) and lipids, the metabolic risk profile in individual patients, which should be managed as clinically appropriate.
QT Prolongation: Quetiapine was not associated with a persistent increase in absolute QT intervals. However, with overdose QT prolongation was observed. As with other antipsychotics, caution should be exercised when quetiapine is prescribed in patients with cardiovascular disease or family history of QT prolongation. Also caution should be exercised when quetiapine is prescribed with medicines known to increase QTc interval, and concomitant neuroleptics, especially in the elderly, in patients with congenital long QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, heart hypertrophy, hypokalaemia or hypomagnesaemia.
Withdrawal: Acute withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, nausea, headache, diarrhoea, vomiting, dizziness, and irritability have been described after abrupt cessation of quetiapine. Gradual withdrawal over a period of at least one to two weeks is advisable.
Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis: Quetiapine is not approved for the treatment of dementia-related psychosis. Risk of increase of cerebrovascular adverse events is not known. An increased risk cannot be excluded for other antipsychotics or other patient populations. Quetiapine should be used with caution in patients with risk factors for stroke.
Additional information: Quetiapine data in combination with divalproex or lithium in acute moderate to severe manic episodes is limited.
Special Considerations in Treating Pediatric (Schizophrenia and Bipolar I Disorder): Pediatric schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder are serious mental disorders, however, diagnosis can be challenging. For pediatric schizophrenia, symptom profiles can be variable, and for bipolar I disorder, patients may have variable patterns of periodicity of manic or mixed symptoms. It is recommended that medication therapy for pediatric schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder be initiated only after a thorough diagnostic evaluation has been performed and careful consideration given to the risks associated with medication treatment. Medication treatment for both pediatric schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder is indicated as part of a total treatment program that often includes psychological, educational and social interventions.
Effect on ability to drive and use machines: Given its primary central nervous system effects, quetiapine may interfere with activities requiring mental alertness. Therefore, patients should be advised not to drive or operate machinery, until individual susceptibility to this is known.