Anxiety Zone Forums | Login | Register | Announcements | General Discussion | Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) | Hypochondria (Health Anxiety) | Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia | Clinical Depression | Specific Phobias | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) | Social Anxiety Disorder | Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) | Other Mental Health Issues | Medications and Therapy | Addiction and Recovery | The Anxiety Zone Arcade | Conditions Index | Drug Index | Glossary | Symptoms | Therapies | Latest Health News | Chat Rooms | Search | Community Guidelines

Support Forums And Chats For Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Hypochondria, Panic Disorder, Clinical Depression, Specific Phobias, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Social Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
- Click on the banner above to visit the Anxiety Zone forums -

Quetiapine

Quetiapine (kwe-TYE-a-peen), marketed by AstraZeneca with the brand name Seroquel, is one of the atypical antipsychotics. Quetiapine has FDA and international approvals for the treatment of schizophrenia and acute mania in bipolar disorder. It is used "off-label" to treat other disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and as a sedative for those with sleep disorders.

Chemistry

Quetiapine (shown in figure) is 11-[4-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl]-1-piperazinyl]dibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepine, C21H25N3O2S. Dosages are based on millgrams of this base. The Seroquel formulation is as a fumarate salt with the chemical formula C42H50N6O4S2·C4H4O4 and systematic name 2-[2-(4-dibenzo [b,f] [1,4]thiazepin-11-yl-1-piperazinyl)ethoxy]-ethanol fumarate (2:1) (salt).

How it works

Quetiapine is a dopamine, specifically D1 and D2 dopamine, inhibitor or antagonist. It also somewhat inhibits functioning of serotonin receptors, but in clinical tests it has been found that the human body is very adaptive to the serotonin blocking reaction, thus it can be used together with SSRI medication.

Side effects

Quetiapine is believed to be less likely to cause tardive dyskinesia than typical antipsychotics. However, as with other antipsychotics, there is evidence implying that quetiapine may cause tardive dyskinesia.

Studies conducted on beagles have resulted in the formation of cataracts, however, there has been no report describing this effect within humans. Common side effects include: agitation, memory problems, sedation, and an upset stomach. Seroquel will put the patient into a drowsy state, and will help the patient fall asleep.

The information above is not intended for and should not be used as a substitute for the diagnosis and/or treatment by a licensed, qualified, health-care professional. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It incorporates material originating from the Wikipedia article "Quetiapine".

Copyright © 2008 Anxiety Zone - Anxiety Disorders Forum. All Rights Reserved.