Add-on treatment of major depressive episodes in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Active Ingredient: Quetiapine

Indication for Quetiapine

Population group: only adults (18 years old or older)

Add-on treatment of major depressive episodes in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) who have had suboptimal response to antidepressant monotherapy.

For this indication, competent medicine agencies globally authorize below treatments:

50-300 mg once a day

Route of admnistration

Oral

Defined daily dose

50 - 300 mg

Dosage regimen

From 50 To 300 mg once every day

Detailed description

Quetiapine 50 mg should be administered prior to bedtime. The daily dose at the start of therapy is 50 mg on Day 1 and 2, and 150 mg on Day 3 and 4. Antidepressant effect was seen at 150 and 300 mg/day in short-term trials as add-on therapy (with amitriptyline, bupropion, citalopram, duloxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline and venlafaxine) and at 50 mg/day in short-term monotherapy trials. There is an increased risk of adverse events at higher doses. Clinicians should therefore ensure that the lowest effective dose, starting with 50 mg/day, is used for treatment. The need to increase the dose from 150 to 300 mg/day should be based on individual patient evaluation.

Elderly

As with other antipsychotics and antidepressants, quetiapine should be used with caution in the elderly, especially during the initial dosing period. The rate of dose titration of quetiapine may need to be slower, and the daily therapeutic dose lower, than that used in younger patients. The mean plasma clearance of quetiapine was reduced by 30% to 50% in elderly patients when compared to younger patients. Elderly patients should be started on 50 mg/day. The dose can be increased in increments of 50 mg/day to an effective dose, depending on the clinical response and tolerability of the individual patient.

Dosage considerations

Should be administered at bedtime.

Active ingredient

Quetiapine

Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic agent. Quetiapine and the active human plasma metabolite, norquetiapine interact with a broad range of neurotransmitter receptors.

Read more about Quetiapine

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