Quetiapine Fumarate

Adults: Acute and chronic psychoses, including schizophrenia: Quetiapine is given twice a day, with or without food. The total daily dose for the first four days is 50 mg on Day 1, 100 mg on Day 2, 200 mg on Day 3 and 300 mg on Day 4. From Day 4 onwards, the dose is titrated to the usual effective range of 300 to 450 mg/day. It can still be adjusted within the range of 150 to 750 mg/day, depending on the clinical response and how well the individual patient tolerates it. Manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder: Give it twice a day, with or without food. The total daily dose for the first four days is 100 mg on Day 1, 200 mg on Day 2, 300 mg on Day 3 and 400 mg on Day 4. Further adjustments, up to 800mg/day by Day 6, should be in steps of no more than 200 mg/day. The dose can be adjusted within the range of 200 to 800 mg/day, depending on clinical response and tolerability in the individual patient. The usual effective dose is 400 to 800mg/day. Depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder: Give it once a day at bedtime, with or without food. The usual dose is 300 mg/day. For the first four days the daily dose is 50 mg on Day 1, 100 mg on Day 2, 200 mg on Day 3 and 300 mg on Day 4. Quetiapine can be titrated to 400 mg on Day 5 and up to 600mg by Day 8. Antidepressant efficacy was shown at 300mg and 600 mg, but the 600mg group showed no additional benefit during short term treatment. Maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder in combination with mood stabilizers: Patients who have responded to quetiapine together with a mood stabiliser in the acute treatment of bipolar disorder should stay on quetiapine at the same dose. The dose can be re-adjusted depending on the clinical response and tolerability of the individual patient. Efficacy was shown with quetiapine given twice daily, totalling 400mg to 800mg a day, as combination therapy with a mood stabilizer.