Quetiapine Krka 50 mg prolonged-release tablets EFG

Package leaflet: Information for the user

Introduction

Package leaflet: Information for the patient

Quetiapine Krka 50 mg prolonged-release tablets EFG

Read the entire leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine, because it contains important information for you.

• Keep this leaflet, as you may need to read it again.
• If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only, and you must not give it to other people, even if they have the same symptoms as you, because it could harm them.
• If you experience any adverse effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if they are adverse effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

Leaflet contents

1. What Quetiapine Krka is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before taking Quetiapine Krka
3. How to take Quetiapine Krka
4. Possible adverse effects
5. How to store Quetiapine Krka
6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Quetiapina Krka is and what it is used for

Quetiapina Krka contains a substance called quetiapine. It belongs to a group of medicines known as antipsychotics. Quetiapina Krka may be used to treat several conditions, such as:

• Bipolar depression and major depressive episodes in major depressive disorder: where you feel sad. You may find that you feel depressed, guilty, lack energy, have loss of appetite, or are unable to sleep.
• Mania: where you may feel very excited, euphoric, agitated, enthusiastic, or hyperactive, or have poor judgment, including being aggressive or violent.
• Schizophrenia: where you may hear or feel things that are not there, believe things that are not true, or feel abnormally suspicious, anxious, confused, guilty, tense, or depressed.

When Quetiapina Krka is being used to treat major depressive episodes in major depressive disorder, it will be taken in addition to another medicine you are already using for this condition.

Your doctor may continue prescribing Quetiapina Krka even if you feel better.

2. What you need to know before starting to take Quetiapine Krka

Do not take Quetiapine Krka:

• if you are allergic to quetiapine or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).

• if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• certain medicines for HIV

• azole-type medicines (for fungal infections)

• erythromycin or clarithromycin (for infections)

• nefazodone (for depression).

If you have any doubts, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take Quetiapine Krka if:

• You, or a family member, have or have had any heart problems, for example, heart rhythm problems, weakening of the heart muscle, heart inflammation, or if you are taking any medicine that may affect your heart rhythm.
• You have low blood pressure.
• You have had a stroke, especially if you are an elderly patient.
• You have liver problems.
• You have ever had a seizure (epileptic fit).
• You have diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes. If so, your doctor may monitor your blood sugar levels while you are taking this medicine.
• You know you have previously had low levels of white blood cells (which may or may not have been caused by other medicines).
• You are an elderly person with dementia (loss of brain function). If so, you should not take quetiapine, because the group of medicines to which quetiapine belongs may increase the risk of stroke, or in some cases the risk of death, in these people.
• You are an elderly person with Parkinson’s disease/parkinsonism.
• You or a family member has a history of blood clots, as medicines like this have been associated with blood clot formation.
• You have or have had a condition in which your breathing stops for short periods during normal nighttime sleep (called “sleep apnea”) and you are taking medicines that reduce normal brain activity (“depressants”).
• You have or have had a condition in which you cannot completely empty your bladder (urinary retention), have an enlarged prostate, intestinal obstruction, or increased pressure inside your eye. These conditions can sometimes be caused by medicines (called “anticholinergics”) that affect how nerve cells function, used to treat certain medical conditions.
• You have a history of alcohol or drug abuse.
• You have depression or other conditions treated with antidepressants. Using these medicines together with quetiapine may cause serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition (see “Other medicines and Quetiapine Krka”).

Inform your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following after taking quetiapine:

• A combination of fever, severe muscle stiffness, sweating, or decreased level of consciousness (a disorder known as “neuroleptic malignant syndrome”). Immediate medical treatment may be required.
• Uncontrollable movements, mainly of your face or tongue.
• Dizziness or feeling very sleepy. This may increase the risk of accidental injuries (falls) in elderly patients.
• Seizures (epileptic fits).
• Painful and prolonged erection (priapism).
• Fast or irregular heartbeat, even at rest, palpitations, breathing problems, chest pain, or unexplained tiredness. Your doctor should examine your heart and, if necessary, refer you immediately to a cardiologist.

These disorders may be caused by this type of medicine.

Inform your doctor as soon as possible if you have:

• Fever, flu-like symptoms, sore throat, or any other infection, as this could be due to a low white blood cell count which may require stopping treatment with quetiapine and/or additional treatment.
• Persistent abdominal pain with constipation, or constipation that has not responded to treatment, as this may lead to a more serious intestinal blockage.

Suicidal thoughts and worsening of your depression

If you are depressed, you may sometimes have thoughts about harming yourself or committing suicide. These thoughts may increase at the beginning of treatment, as all these medicines take time to work—usually about two weeks, but sometimes longer. These thoughts may also increase if you stop your medication abruptly. You may be more likely to have such thoughts if you are a young adult. Clinical trial data have shown an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and/or suicidal behaviour in young adults under 25 years of age with depression.

If at any time you have thoughts about harming yourself or committing suicide, contact your doctor or go to a hospital immediately. It may help to tell a close family member or friend that you are depressed and ask them to read this leaflet. You may ask them to let you know if they think your depression is getting worse, or if they are concerned about changes in your behaviour.

Severe cutaneous adverse reaction (SCAR)

Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), which may be life-threatening or fatal, have very rarely been reported with quetiapine treatment. These have frequently manifested as:

• Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a widespread rash with blisters and peeling of the skin, especially around the mouth, nose, eyes, and genitals
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), a more severe condition causing extensive skin peeling
• Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), consisting of flu-like symptoms with a rash, fever, swollen glands, and abnormal blood test results (including increased white blood cells (eosinophilia) and liver enzymes)
• Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), small pus-filled blisters
• Erythema multiforme (EM), a skin rash with irregular red spots that itch

Stop using Quetiapine Krka if you develop these symptoms and contact your doctor or seek immediate medical attention.

Weight gain

Weight gain has been observed in patients taking quetiapine. You and your doctor should monitor your weight regularly.

Children and adolescents

Quetiapine is not used in children and adolescents under 18 years of age.

Other medicines and Quetiapine Krka

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might need to take any other medicines.

Do not take quetiapine if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• Certain medicines for HIV.
• Azole-type medicines (for fungal infections).
• Erythromycin or clarithromycin (for infections).
• Nefazodone (for depression).

Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• Medicines for epilepsy (such as phenytoin or carbamazepine).
• Medicines for high blood pressure.
• Barbiturates (for difficulty sleeping).
• Thioridazine or lithium (other antipsychotic medicines).
• Medicines that affect your heart rhythm, for example, medicines that may cause an electrolyte imbalance (low levels of potassium or magnesium), such as diuretics (medicines to increase urination) or certain antibiotics (medicines to treat infections).
• Medicines that may cause constipation.
• Medicines (called “anticholinergics”) that affect how nerve cells function, used to treat certain medical conditions.
• Antidepressants. These medicines may interact with quetiapine and you may experience symptoms such as involuntary and rhythmic muscle contractions, including muscles controlling eye movement, agitation, hallucinations, coma, excessive sweating, tremor, exaggerated reflexes, increased muscle tone, and body temperature above 38°C (serotonin syndrome). Contact your doctor if you experience these symptoms.

Before stopping any of your medicines, consult your doctor first.

Taking Quetiapine Krka with food, drinks, and alcohol

• This medicine may be affected by food, so you should take your tablets at least one hour before a meal or before bedtime.
• Be cautious about the amount of alcohol you consume. This is because the combined effect of this medicine and alcohol may make you drowsy.
• Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking quetiapine. It may affect how the medicine works.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.

You should not take this medicine during pregnancy unless you have discussed it with your doctor. Quetiapine should not be taken if you are breastfeeding.

The following symptoms, which may represent a withdrawal syndrome, may occur in newborns whose mothers have used quetiapine during the third trimester (last three months of pregnancy): tremor, muscle stiffness and/or weakness, drowsiness, agitation, breathing problems, and feeding difficulties. If your newborn develops any of these symptoms, you may need to contact your doctor.

Driving and using machines

Quetiapine may cause symptoms such as drowsiness, dizziness, or vision disturbances, and may reduce reaction capability. These effects, as well as the illness itself, may impair your ability to drive or operate machinery. Therefore, do not drive, operate machinery, or engage in other activities requiring special attention until your doctor has assessed your response to this medicine.

Quetiapine Krka contains lactose and sodium

This medicine contains lactose. If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to certain sugars, consult with him before taking this medicine.

This medicine contains 8.44 mg of sodium (main component of table/cooking salt) in each 50 mg prolonged-release tablet. This is equivalent to 0.42% of the maximum daily recommended sodium intake for an adult.

Effect on Urine Drug Screening Tests

If you are undergoing a urine drug screening test, taking quetiapine may produce positive results for methadone or certain antidepressant medicines called tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) when certain analytical methods are used, even though you may not be taking methadone or TCAs. If this occurs, a more specific test can be performed.

3. How to take Quetiapine Krka

Follow exactly the administration instructions for this medicine as indicated by your doctor or pharmacist. If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

Your doctor will determine your initial dose. The maintenance dose (daily dose) will depend on your condition and individual needs but will usually be between 150 mg and 800 mg.

• You will take your tablets once daily.
• Do not split, chew, or crush the tablets.
• Swallow the tablets whole with water.
• Take the tablets without food (at least one hour before a meal or at bedtime; your doctor will advise you when).
• Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking Quetiapine Krka. It may affect how the medicine works.
• Do not stop taking your tablets even if you feel better, unless your doctor tells you to do so.

Liver problems

If you have liver problems, your doctor may adjust your dose.

Elderly patients

If you are elderly, your doctor may adjust your dose.

Use in children and adolescents

Quetiapine Krka must not be used in children and adolescents under 18 years of age.

If you take more Quetiapine Krka than you should

If you take more Quetiapine Krka than prescribed by your doctor, you may feel drowsy, dizzy, or experience abnormal heartbeats. Contact your doctor or the nearest hospital immediately. Take your Quetiapine Krka tablets with you.

You may also call the Toxicology Information Service at telephone number: 91 562 04 20, indicating the medicine and the amount ingested.

If you forget to take Quetiapine Krka

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then. Do not take a double dose to make up for forgotten doses.

If you stop taking Quetiapine Krka

If you stop taking Quetiapine Krka abruptly, you may have difficulty sleeping (insomnia), feel nauseous, or experience headache, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, or irritability. Your doctor may recommend gradually reducing the dose before stopping treatment.

If you have any further questions about using this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible adverse effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause adverse effects, although not everyone will experience them.

Very common: may affect more than 1 in 10 people

• Dizziness (could lead to falls), headache, dry mouth.
• Drowsiness (which may diminish over time as you continue taking this medicine) (could lead to falls).
• Discontinuation symptoms (symptoms that occur when you stop taking the medicine), including inability to sleep (insomnia), feeling nauseous, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, and irritability. Gradual withdrawal over a period of at least 1 to 2 weeks is advised.
• Weight gain.
• Abnormal muscle movements. These include difficulty initiating muscle movements, tremor, restlessness, or painless muscle rigidity.
• Changes in levels of certain fats (triglycerides and total cholesterol).

Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people

• Fast heartbeat.
• Feeling that your heart is pounding, racing, or beating irregularly.
• Constipation, upset stomach (indigestion).
• Feeling weak.
• Swelling of arms or legs.
• Low blood pressure when standing. This may make you feel dizzy or faint (could lead to falls).
• Increased blood sugar levels.
• Blurred vision.
• Abnormal dreams and nightmares.
• Increased appetite.
• Feeling irritable.
• Speech and language disorders.
• Suicidal thoughts and worsening of depression.
• Shortness of breath.
• Vomiting (mainly in elderly people).
• Fever.
• Changes in levels of thyroid hormones in the blood.
• Decrease in the number of certain types of blood cells.
• Increases in liver enzyme levels measurable in blood.
• Increases in blood levels of the hormone prolactin. Elevated prolactin levels may rarely lead to the following:
• Breast swelling and unexpected milk production in both men and women.
• In women, absence of menstrual periods or irregular periods.

Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people

• Epileptic seizures or convulsions.
• Allergic reactions that may include raised, itchy rashes (hives), skin swelling, and swelling around the mouth.
• Unpleasant sensations in the legs (also known as restless legs syndrome).
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Involuntary movements, mainly of the face or tongue.
• Sexual dysfunction.
• Diabetes.
• Changes seen on ECG in the heart's electrical activity (prolongation of the QT interval).
• Slower than normal heart rate, which may occur at the start of treatment and may be associated with low blood pressure and fainting.
• Difficulty urinating.
• Fainting (could lead to falls).
• Nasal congestion.
• Decrease in the number of red blood cells.
• Decrease in blood sodium levels.
• Worsening of pre-existing diabetes.
• Confusion.

Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people

• A combination of high temperature (fever), sweating, muscle rigidity, and extreme drowsiness or dizziness (a condition known as “neuroleptic malignant syndrome”).
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).
• Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis).
• Prolonged, painful erection (priapism).
• Breast swelling and unexpected milk production (galactorrhea).
• Menstrual disorders.
• Blood clots in the veins, especially in the legs (symptoms include swelling, pain, and redness in the leg), which may travel through blood vessels to the lungs, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
• Walking, talking, eating, or other activities while asleep.
• Decreased body temperature (hypothermia).
• Inflammation of the pancreas.
• A condition (called “metabolic syndrome”) in which you may experience a combination of 3 or more of the following: increased abdominal fat, decreased levels of good cholesterol (HDL-C), increased levels of a type of blood fat called triglycerides, increased blood pressure, and increased blood sugar levels.
• Combination of fever, flu-like symptoms, sore throat, or other infection with low white blood cell count, a condition called agranulocytosis.
• Intestinal obstruction.
• Increased blood creatine phosphokinase (a muscle substance).

Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people

• Severe rash, blisters, or red spots on the skin.
• Severe allergic reaction (called anaphylaxis) that may cause difficulty breathing or shock.
• Rapid swelling of the skin, usually around the eyes, lips, and throat (angioedema).
• A serious condition with blisters on the skin, mouth, eyes, and genitals (Stevens-Johnson syndrome). See section 2.
• Inappropriate secretion of a hormone that controls urine volume.
• Breakdown of muscle fibers and muscle pain (rhabdomyolysis).

Frequency not known: cannot be estimated from available data

• Skin rashes with irregular red patches (erythema multiforme). See section 2.
• Rapid appearance of reddish skin areas with small pustules (small blisters filled with white/yellow fluid), known as acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP). See section 2.
• Sudden, severe allergic reaction with symptoms such as fever, skin blisters, and skin peeling (toxic epidermal necrolysis). See section 2.
• Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), consisting of flu-like symptoms with rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and abnormal blood test results (including increased white blood cell count (eosinophilia) and liver enzymes). See section 2.
• Withdrawal symptoms may occur in newborn babies of mothers who took Quetiapina Krka during pregnancy.
• Stroke.
• Heart muscle disorder (cardiomyopathy).
• Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis).
• Inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis), often with a skin rash showing small red or purple spots.

The class of medicines to which quetiapine belongs may cause heart rhythm problems that can be serious and, in severe cases, may be fatal.

Some adverse effects are only detected through blood tests. These include changes in levels of certain fats (triglycerides and total cholesterol) or blood sugar, changes in thyroid hormone levels in the blood, increased liver enzymes, decreased numbers of certain types of blood cells, decreased red blood cell count, increased blood creatine phosphokinase (a substance found in muscles), decreased blood sodium levels, and increased blood levels of the hormone prolactin. Elevated prolactin levels may, in rare cases, lead to the following:

• Breast swelling and unexpected milk production in both men and women.
• In women, absence of menstrual periods or irregular periods.

Your doctor may ask you to have blood tests from time to time.

Other adverse effects in children and adolescents

The same adverse effects that may occur in adults may also occur in children and adolescents.

The following adverse effects have been observed more frequently in children and adolescents, or have not been seen in adults:

Very common: may affect more than 1 in 10 people

• Increased levels of a hormone called prolactin in the blood. Elevated prolactin levels may, in rare cases, lead to the following:
• Breast swelling and unexpected milk production in both boys and girls.
• In girls, absence of menstrual periods or irregular periods.
• Increased appetite.
• Vomiting.
• Abnormal muscle movements. This includes difficulty initiating muscle movements, restlessness, feeling tired, or painless muscle rigidity.
• Increased blood pressure.

Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people

• Feeling weak, fainting (could lead to falls).
• Nasal congestion.
• Feeling irritable.

Reporting of adverse effects

If you experience any adverse effect, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible adverse effect not listed in this leaflet. You can also report them directly via the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Medicines: https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting adverse effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. Storage of Quetiapine Krka

Keep this medicine out of sight and reach of children.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date stated on the blister and packaging following EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month indicated.

Store in the original packaging to protect from moisture.

This medicine does not require any special storage temperature.

Medicines must not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Dispose of unused medicines and their containers at the SIGRE Point in your pharmacy. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines and containers you no longer need. This will help protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

Composition of Quetiapine Krka

• The active substance is quetiapine. Each prolonged-release tablet contains 50 mg of quetiapine (as quetiapine hemifumarate).
• The other components are: hypromellose, lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium citrate dihydrate and magnesium stearate in the core, and hypromellose, titanium dioxide (E171) and macrogol 400 in the coating. See section 2 “Quetiapine Krka contains lactose and sodium”.

Appearance of the product and contents of the pack

The 50 mg prolonged-release tablets are white to almost white, capsule-shaped, slightly biconvex, film-coated tablets with bevelled edges and marked with “50” on one side. Tablet dimensions: 16.2 mm in diameter and 4.0 – 5.2 mm in thickness.

Quetiapine Krka 50 mg prolonged-release tablets are available in packs containing 10, 30, 50, 60, 90 and 100 prolonged-release tablets in OPA/Al/PVC-Al blisters.

Only some pack sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer

KRKA, d.d., Novo mesto, Šmarješka cesta 6, 8501 Novo mesto, Slovenia

TAD Pharma GmbH, Heinz‑Lohmann‑Str. 5, 27472 Cuxhaven, Germany

For further information about this medicinal product, please contact the local representative of the Marketing Authorization Holder:

KRKA Farmacéutica, S.L., C/Anabel Segura 10, 28108 Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain

This medicinal product is authorized in the Member States of the European Economic Area under the following names:

Date of the most recent review of this leaflet: April 2025

Detailed information on this medicinal product is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es/