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Patient Information Sheet
Olanzapine (marketed as Zyprexa)
This is a summary of the most
important information about Zyprexa. For details, talk to your
healthcare professional.
What is Zyprexa?
- Zyprexa is in a class of medications called atypical
antipsychotics. Antipsychotic medicines are approved to treat
symptoms of schizophrenia that may include hearing voices, seeing
things, or sensing things that are not there, mistaken beliefs or
unusual suspiciousness.
- Zyprexa is approved to treat mixed or manic episodes in adults
who have a condition called Bipolar I disorder.
- Zyprexa may also be used with lithium or valproate for
short-term treatment of acute manic episodes of bipolar disorder.
What are The Risks?
The following are the risks and potential side effects of
Zyprexa therapy. However, this list is not complete.
- Increased chance of death in elderly persons.
Elderly patients treated with atypical antipsychotics, such as
Zyprexa, for dementia had a higher chance for death than patients
who did not take the medicine. Zyprexa is not approved for
dementia.
- A life-threatening nervous system problem called
neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). NMS can cause a high
fever, stiff muscles, sweating, a fast or irregular heart beat,
change in blood pressure, and confusion. NMS can affect your
kidneys. NMS is a medical emergency. Call your healthcare
professional right away if you experience these symptoms.
- A movement problem called tardive dyskinesia (TD).
Call your healthcare professional right away if you get muscle
movements that cannot be stopped.
- High blood sugar and diabetes. Patients with
diabetes or who have a higher chance for diabetes should have
their blood sugar checked often.
- Strokes have happened in older patients treated
for mental illness from dementia. Zyprexa is not approved for this
use.
- Other serious side effects include low blood
pressure seen as dizziness, and possibly fainting; increased heart
beat; seizures; liver problems; increased body temperature; and
difficulty swallowing.
- The most common side effects include sleepiness,
dry mouth, dizziness, restlessness, constipation, upset stomach,
weight gain, increased appetite, and tremor.
What Should I Tell My Healthcare
Professional?
Before you start taking Zyprexa,
tell your healthcare professional if you:
-
have or had heart problems
-
have or had seizures
-
have or had diabetes or increased
blood sugar
-
have or had liver disease
-
are trying to become pregnant, are
already pregnant, or are breast-feeding.
-
drink alcohol
-
have a condition called
phenylketonuria
Are There Any Interactions With
Drugs or Foods?
Because certain other medications can
interact with Zyprexa, review all medications that you are taking
with your healthcare professional, including those that you take
without a prescription.
Your healthcare professional may have
to adjust your dose or watch you more closely if you take the
following medications:
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking
Zyprexa.
Is There Anything Else I
Need to Know?
-
Dizziness, and sometimes fainting,
caused by a drop in blood pressure may happen with Zyprexa,
especially when you first start taking this medicine or when the
dose is increased.
-
Zyprexa may impair judgment,
thinking, or motor skills. You should be careful in operating
machinery, including automobiles, until you know how Zyprexa affects
you.
-
It is important to avoid overheating
and dehydration while taking Zyprexa. Zyprexa may make it harder to
lower your body temperature.
Questions? Call Drug Information, 1-888-INFO-FDA
(automated) or 301-827-4570
Druginfo@fda.hhs.gov  Back
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Date created: April 2005, updated September 6, 2006 |
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