Psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, delusional disorder or schizoaffective disorder, among others, are severe psychological disorders that produce alterations in perceptions, false ideas about reality, hallucinations and delusions. As we can imagine, suffering from these disorders can make it difficult to lead a normal and functional life, but currently, there are different therapies to treat them. Psychological treatment, in combination with pharmacological treatment, has proven to be effective in controlling or preventing the appearance of new episodes. Specifically, olanzapine is used for pharmacological treatment, an atypical antipsychotic used to combat the symptoms of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. In this Psychology-Online article, we will solve What is olanzapine used for and what side effects does this drug have?.
What is olanzapine?
The olanzapine belongs to the family of atypical antipsychotics, the so-called “new” antipsychotics, which are used to treat different mental disorders and symptoms, in addition to psychoses. The route of administration of this drug is, normally, by orally in form of tabletsalthough it can be administered by parenteral route through a injection applied exclusively by professionals in the medical field. It should be noted that olanzapine is not a definitive antidote for people who suffer from a mental disorder, but rather serves as an aid to control and avoid different symptoms.
Trade name of olanzapine
It is mainly marketed under the name Zyprexain form of tablets or injection. There are also other generic drugs with different names, such as the following:
- Arenbil flas
- Arenbil
- Zapris
- Zolafren flas
- Zolafren
- Zypadhera
These have the same qualitative and quantitative composition of active ingredients and the same pharmaceutical form.
How does olanzapine work?
Olanzapine works blocking the effect of different receptors located in the brain, such as receptors for serotonin and of the dopamine.
, specifically, is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for transmitting nervous impulses between brain cells, so if an excess of this substance is produced, the receptors are overstimulated, which can affect the person’s behavior. This drug helps normalize brain activitytherefore, reducing the symptoms of these diseases.
How long does it take for olanzapine to work? Olanzapine has a rapid sedative component, so you will feel its effects after the first dose. In cases of patients with positive symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, its effect may take several days. While in patients with negative symptoms, such as emotional isolation and flattening, the effects of olanzapine may take several weeks.
What is olanzapine used for?
Olanzapine is mainly used for treat and maintain improvement in schizophrenia symptoms in adults. It is a severe mental disorder, characterized by suffering from disorganization of thought and speech, loss of interest in life, distrust, hallucinations and delusions.
It is also used for treat and prevent the recurrence of manic episodes in patients with bipolar disordera disease that causes alterations in the person’s mood, experiencing alternating episodes of depression and excessive euphoria.
In addition to being used for these diseases, it can also be used together with another drug, Prozac, to treat depressive episodes in adults and adolescents over 13 years of age.
The doses of olanzapine, always under the discretion of a doctor, will vary depending on the disease, symptoms and characteristics of each patient. Does olanzapine help you sleep? It is important to emphasize that olanzapine is not a drug that is recommended to treat patients with insomnia problems, although there are doctors who prescribe it due to the drowsiness it causes, this should not be the main treatment for sleep-related problems.
What are the side effects of olanzapine?
According to various investigations, Olanzapine is one of the antipsychotics that produces the most side effects. Below are some of its most frequent effects:
- Weight gain (in 90% of patients who take it, but when stopping treatment a considerable weight loss can be observed).
- Increased blood and urine sugar levels.
- Drowsiness and sedation.
- Increased appetite.
- Dizziness
- Constipation.
- Dry mouth.
- Fluid retention that causes swelling in the hands, ankles or feet.
- Sexual dysfunctions.
If taking this drug causes more dangerous symptoms such as fever, swollen glands, muscle pain and weakness, bruises and rashes, do not hesitate to contact your doctor to make the appropriate decisions.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (2020). TOP.
- Eisenberg, J. (2014). Antipsychotic medications to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
- Flores-Rojas, L. and González-Zúñiga, L. (2019). Metabolic side effects of second generation antipsychotics. Internal Medicine of Mexico, 35(5), 721-731.
- Mestrovic, T. (2018). News Medical Life Sciences.