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Suicide/suicidal thoughts or clinical worsening: Depression 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 clinical experience that the risk of suicide may increase in the early stages of recovery.
Patients with a history of suicide-related events or those exhibiting a significant degree of suicidal ideation prior to commencement of treatment are known to be at greater risk of suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts, and should receive careful monitoring during treatment. A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled clinical trials of antidepressants in adult patients with psychiatric disorders showed an increased risk of suicidal behavior with antidepressants compared to placebo in patients less than 25 years old.
Close supervision of patients and in particular those at high risk should accompany therapy with antidepressants especially in early treatment and following dose changes. Patients (and caregivers of patients) should be alerted about the need to monitor for any clinical worsening, suicidal behavior or thoughts and unusual changes in behavior and to seek medical advice immediately if these symptoms present.
With regard to the chance of suicide, in particular at the beginning of treatment, only the smallest amount of Remeron SolTab orodispersible tablets should be given to the patient consistent with good patient management, in order to reduce the risk of overdose.
Bone marrow depression: Bone marrow depression, usually presenting as granulocytopenia or agranulocytosis, has been reported during treatment with Remeron. Reversible agranulocytosis has been reported as a rare occurrence in clinical studies with Remeron. In the postmarketing period with Remeron very rare cases of agranulocytosis have been reported, mostly reversible, but in some cases fatal. Fatal cases mostly concerned patients with an age above 65. The physician should be alert for symptoms like fever, sore throat, stomatitis or other signs of infection; when such symptoms occur, treatment should be stopped and blood counts taken.
Jaundice: Treatment should be discontinued if jaundice occurs.
Conditions which need supervision: Careful dosing as well as regular and close monitoring is necessary in patients with: Epilepsy and organic brain syndrome: Although clinical experience indicates that epileptic seizures are rare during mirtazapine treatment, as with other antidepressants, Remeron should be introduced cautiously in patients who have a history of seizures. Treatment should be discontinued in any patient who develops seizures, or where there is an increase in seizure frequency.
Hepatic impairment: Following a single 15 mg oral dose of mirtazapine, the clearance of mirtazapine was approximately 35 % decreased in mild to moderate hepatically impaired patients, compared to subjects with normal hepatic function. The average plasma concentration of mirtazapine was about 55 % increased.
Renal impairment: Following a single 15 mg oral dose of mirtazapine, in patients with moderate (10 ml/min ≤ creatinine clearance < 40 ml/min) and severe (creatinine clearance < 10 ml/min) renal impairment the clearance of mirtazapine was about 30 % and 50 % decreased respectively, compared to normal subjects. The average plasma concentration of mirtazapine was about 55 % and 115 % increased respectively. No significant differences were found in patients with mild renal impairment (40 ml/min ≤ creatinine clearance < 80 ml/min) as compared to the control group.
Cardiac diseases like conduction disturbances, angina pectoris and recent myocardial infarction, where normal precautions should be taken and concomitant medicines carefully administered.
Low blood pressure.
Diabetes mellitus: In patients with diabetes, antidepressants may alter glycemic control. Insulin and/or oral hypoglycemic dosage may need to be adjusted and close monitoring is recommended.
Like with other antidepressants, the following should be taken into account: Worsening of psychotic symptoms can occur when antidepressants are administered to patients with schizophrenia or other psychotic disturbances; paranoid thoughts can be intensified.
When the depressive phase of bipolar disorder is being treated, it can transform into the manic phase. Patients with a history of mania/hypomania should be closely monitored. Mirtazapine should be discontinued in any patient entering a manic phase.
Although Remeron is not addictive, post-marketing experience shows that abrupt termination of treatment after long term administration may sometimes result in withdrawal symptoms. The majority of withdrawal reactions are mild and self-limiting. Among the various reported withdrawal symptoms, dizziness, agitation, anxiety, headache and nausea are the most frequently reported. Even though they have been reported as withdrawal symptoms, it should be realized that these symptoms may be related to the underlying disease. As advised in Dosage & Administration, it is recommended to discontinue treatment with mirtazapine gradually.
Care should be taken in patients with micturition disturbances like prostate hypertrophy and in patients with acute narrow-angle glaucoma and increased intra-ocular pressure (although there is little chance of problems with Remeron because of its very weak anticholinergic activity).
Akathisia/psychomotor restlessness: The use of antidepressants have been associated with the development of akathisia, characterized by a subjectively unpleasant or distressing restlessness and need to move often accompanied by an inability to sit or stand still. This is most likely to occur within the first few weeks of treatment. In patients who develop these symptoms, increasing the dose may be detrimental.
The effect of Remeron on QTCc interval was assessed in a randomized, placebo and moxifloxacin controlled clinical trial involving 54 healthy volunteers using exposure response analysis. This trial revealed that both 45mg (therapeutic) and 75mg (supratherapeutic) doses of mirtazapine did not affect the QTCc interval to a clinically meaningful extent. During the post-marketing use of mirtazapine, cases of QT prolongation, Torsades de Pointes, ventricular tachycardia, and sudden death, have been reported. The majority of reports occurred in association with overdose or in patients with other risk factors for QT prolongation, including concomitant use of QTc prolonging medicines (see Overdosage and Interactions). Caution should be exercised when Remeron is prescribed in patients with known cardiovascular disease or family history of QT prolongation, and in concomitant use with other medicinal products thought to prolong the QTc interval.
Hyponatremia: Hyponatremia has been reported very rarely with the use of mirtazapine. Caution should be exercised in patients at risk, such as elderly patients or patients concomitantly treated with medications known to cause hyponatremia.
Serotonin syndrome: Interaction with serotonergic active substances: serotonin syndrome may occur when selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are used concomitantly with other serotonergic active substances (see Interactions). Symptoms of serotonin syndrome may be hyperthermia, rigidity, myoclonus, autonomic instability with possible rapid fluctuations of vital signs, mental status changes that include confusion, irritability and extreme agitation progressing to delirium and coma. Caution should be advised and a closer clinical monitoring is required when these active substances are combined with mirtazapine. Treatment with Remeron should be discontinued if such events occur and supportive symptomatic treatment initiated. From post marketing experience it appears that serotonin syndrome occurs very rarely in patients treated with Remeron alone (see Adverse Reactions).
Sucrose: Remeron SolTab contains sugar spheres, containing sucrose. Patients with rare hereditary problems of fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption or sucrase-isomaltase insufficiency should not take this medicine.
Aspartame: Remeron SolTab contains aspartame, a source of phenylalanine. Each tablet with 15 mg, 30 mg and 45 mg mirtazapine corresponds to 2.6 mg, 5.2 mg and 7.8 mg phenylalanine, respectively. It may be harmful for patients with phenylketonuria.
Effects on ability to drive and use machines: Remeron has minor or moderate influence on the ability to drive and use machines. Remeron may impair concentration and alertness (particularly in the initial phase of treatment). Patients should avoid the performance of potentially dangerous tasks, which require alertness and good concentration, such as driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery, at any time when affected.
Use in children and adolescents under 18 years of age: Remeron should not be used in the treatment of children and adolescents under the age of 18 years. Suicide-related behaviors (suicide attempt and suicidal thoughts), and hostility (predominantly aggression, oppositional behavior and anger) were more frequently observed in clinical trials among children and adolescents treated with antidepressants compared to those treated with placebo. If, based on clinical need, a decision to treat is nevertheless taken, the patient should be carefully monitored for the appearance of suicidal symptoms. In addition, long-term safety data in children and adolescents concerning growth, maturation and cognitive and behavioral development are lacking.
Use in elderly: Elderly patients are often more sensitive, especially with regard to the undesirable effects of antidepressants. During clinical research with Remeron, undesirable effects have not been reported more often in elderly patients than in other age groups.
