Quetiapine Normon 300 mg film-coated tablets EFG

Patient Information Leaflet

Introduction

Package leaflet: Information for the patient

Quetiapina Normon 300 mg film-coated tablets EFG

Quetiapine

Read the entire leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine, as 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 must not be given 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 Quetiapina Normon is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before taking Quetiapina Normon
3. How to take Quetiapina Normon
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Quetiapina Normon
6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Quetiapine Normon is and what it is used for

Quetiapine Normon contains a substance called quetiapine. It belongs to a group of medicines known as antipsychotics. Quetiapine Normon can be used to treat several conditions, such as:

• Bipolar depression: when you feel sad. You may feel depressed, guilty, lack energy, lose your appetite, or be unable to sleep.
• Mania: when you may feel overly excited, euphoric, agitated, enthusiastic, or hyperactive, or have poor judgment, which may include aggressive or violent behavior.
• Schizophrenia: when you may hear or sense things that are not there, believe things that are not true, or feel abnormally suspicious, anxious, confused, guilty, tense, or depressed.

Your doctor may continue to prescribe Quetiapine Normon even after you start feeling better.

2. What you need to know before taking Quetiapine Normon

Do not take Quetiapine Normon:

• If you are allergic (hypersensitive) 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:

  • some medicines for HIV
  • azole-type medicines (for fungal infections)
  • erythromycin or clarithromycin (for infections)
  • nefazodone (for depression).

If you are in any doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking Quetiapine Normon.

Warnings and precautions

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

• You, or a family member, have or have had heart problems, for example, heart rhythm problems, weakening of the heart muscle, or inflammation of the heart, or if you are taking any medicine that may affect your heartbeat.
• You have low blood pressure.
• You have had a stroke, especially if you are elderly.
• You have liver problems.
• You have ever had a seizure (convulsion).
• You have diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes. If so, your doctor may monitor your blood sugar levels while you are taking quetiapine.
• 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 Normon belongs may increase the risk of stroke, or in some cases the risk of death, in these individuals.
• You are an elderly person with Parkinson’s disease/parkinsonism.
• You or a family member have 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 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), an enlarged prostate, intestinal obstruction, or increased pressure inside your eye. These conditions may 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 Normon may cause serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition (see “Use of Quetiapine Normon with other medicines”).

Contact your doctor immediately if, after taking Quetiapine Normon, you experience any of the following:

• 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.
• Uncontrolled movements, mainly of your face or tongue.
• Dizziness or excessive drowsiness. This may increase the risk of accidental injuries (falls) in elderly patients.
• Seizures (convulsions).
• A prolonged and painful erection (priapism).
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat, even at rest, palpitations, breathing problems, chest pain, or unexplained fatigue. 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.

Contact 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 very low count of white blood cells and may require discontinuation of quetiapine treatment and/or additional treatment.
• Constipation together with persistent abdominal pain, or constipation that has not responded to treatment, as this could lead to a more serious intestinal blockage.

Suicidal thoughts and worsening of depression

If you are depressed, you may sometimes have thoughts of harming yourself or committing suicide. This 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 of 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 also ask them to inform you if they think your depression is getting worse or if they are concerned about changes in your behaviour.

Serious cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs)

Very rarely, serious skin reactions (SCARs), which may be life-threatening or fatal, have been reported with this medicine. These commonly manifest as:

• Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a widespread rash with blistering and peeling of the skin, particularly around the mouth, nose, eyes, and genitals.
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), a more severe form causing extensive skin peeling.
• Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), characterized by flu-like symptoms with rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and abnormal blood test results (including increased white blood cell count (eosinophilia) and elevated liver enzymes).
• Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), small pus-filled blisters.
• Erythema multiforme (EM), skin eruptions with irregular red patches that itch.

If you develop any of these symptoms, stop using Quetiapine Normon 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 Normon must not be used in children and adolescents under 18 years of age.

Use of Quetiapine Normon with other medicines

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

Do not take Quetiapine Normon if you are using any of the following medicines:

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

Inform your doctor if you are using 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 heartbeat, for example, medicines that may cause an electrolyte imbalance (low potassium or magnesium levels) 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 Normon 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 tension, 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 Normon with food, drinks, and alcohol

• Quetiapine Normon can be taken with or without food.
• Be cautious about the amount of alcohol you consume. This is because the combined effect of Quetiapine Normon and alcohol may make you drowsy.
• Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking Quetiapine Normon. It may affect how the medicine works.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant, consult your doctor before using this medicine. You must not take Quetiapine Normon during pregnancy unless advised by your doctor. You must not use Quetiapine Normon if you are breastfeeding.

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

Driving and using machines

These tablets may make you feel drowsy. Do not drive or operate tools or machinery until you know how these tablets affect you.

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 antidepressants known as tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) when certain testing methods are used, even if you are not taking methadone or TCAs. If this occurs, a more specific test can be performed.

Quetiapine Normon 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 less than 23 mg of sodium (1 mmol) per tablet; this is, essentially “sodium-free”.

3. How to take Quetiapine Normon

Follow exactly the instructions given by your doctor for taking this medicine. If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

Your doctor will decide your starting 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 at bedtime or twice daily, depending on your condition.
• Swallow your tablets whole with water.
• You may take the tablets with or without food.
• Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking Quetiapine Normon. 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 Normon must not be used in children and adolescents under 18 years of age.

If you take more Quetiapine Normon than you should

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

You may also call the Toxicology Information Service at telephone number: 915620420, stating the medicine and the amount taken.

If you forget to take Quetiapine Normon

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 the forgotten tablet.

If you stop taking Quetiapine Normon

If you stop taking Quetiapine Normon abruptly, you may have difficulty sleeping (insomnia), feel nauseous, or experience headache, diarrhoea, vomiting, dizziness, or irritability. Your doctor may advise you to gradually reduce the dose before stopping treatment.

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

4. Possible adverse effects

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

Very common adverse effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):

• Dizziness (which may lead to falls), headache, dry mouth.

• Drowsiness (which may go away over time as you continue taking quetiapine), (which may lead to falls).

• Withdrawal symptoms (symptoms that occur when you stop taking quetiapine), including inability to sleep (insomnia), feeling nauseous, headache, diarrhoea, vomiting, dizziness, and irritability. Gradual discontinuation over a period of at least 1 to 2 weeks is recommended.

• 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 adverse effects (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 up. This may make you feel dizzy or faint (which may lead to falls).

• Increased blood sugar levels.

• Blurred vision.

• Abnormal dreams and nightmares.

• Feeling hungrier.

• Feeling irritable.

• Speech and language disturbances.

• 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 measured in blood.

• Increases in blood levels of prolactin hormone. Elevated prolactin levels may, in rare cases, lead to:

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

Uncommon adverse effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):

• Epileptic seizures or convulsions.

• Allergic reactions which 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.

• Uncontrollable movements, mainly of the face or tongue.

• Sexual dysfunction.

• Diabetes.

• Changes in the heart's electrical activity seen on ECG (prolongation of QT interval).

• Slower than normal heart rate, which may occur at the beginning of treatment and may be associated with low blood pressure and fainting.

• Difficulty urinating.

• Fainting (which may lead to falls).

• Stuffy nose.

• Decrease in the number of red blood cells in blood.

• Decrease in the amount of sodium in blood.

• Worsening of pre-existing diabetes.

• Confusion.

Rare adverse effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):

• A combination of high temperature (fever), sweating, muscle stiffness, and feeling very drowsy or dizzy (a disorder called "neuroleptic malignant syndrome").

• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).

• Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis).

• Prolonged and painful erection (priapism).

• Breast enlargement and unexpected milk production (galactorrhoea).

• Menstrual disorders.

• Blood clots in 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 notice any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical help.

• 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 have a combination of 3 or more of the following: increased abdominal fat, decreased "good" cholesterol (HDL-C), increased levels of a type of blood fat called triglycerides, increased blood pressure, and increased blood sugar.

• A combination of fever, flu-like symptoms, sore throat, or any other infection with a very low white blood cell count, a condition known as agranulocytosis.

• Intestinal obstruction.

• Increased blood levels of creatine phosphokinase (a substance from muscles).

Very rare adverse effects (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people):

• Severe rash, blisters, or red spots on the skin.

• Severe allergic reaction (called anaphylaxis) which may cause difficulty breathing or shock.

• Rapid swelling of the skin, usually around the eyes, lips, and throat (angioedema).

• A serious blistering condition affecting the skin, mouth, eyes, and genitals (Stevens-Johnson syndrome) (see section 2).

• Inappropriate secretion of a hormone that controls urine volume.

• Breakdown of muscle fibres and muscle pain (rhabdomyolysis).

Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from available data)

• Skin rashes with irregular red spots (erythema multiforme) (see section 2).
• Rapid appearance of red skin areas with small pustules (small blisters filled with white/yellow fluid known as Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP)) (see section 2).
• Sudden and severe allergic reaction with symptoms such as fever and skin blisters and skin peeling (toxic epidermal necrolysis) (see section 2).
• Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), which consists of flu-like symptoms with rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and abnormal blood test results (including increased white blood cells (eosinophilia) and elevated liver enzymes) (see section 2).
• Withdrawal symptoms may occur in newborns of mothers who used quetiapine 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 Quetiapina Normon belongs may cause problems with heart rhythm that can be serious and, in severe cases, may be fatal.

Some adverse effects are only detected by blood tests. These include changes in levels of certain fats (triglycerides and total cholesterol) or blood sugar, changes in thyroid hormone levels in your 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 prolactin hormone. Elevated prolactin levels may, in rare cases, lead to:

• Breast enlargement 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.

Additional 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 observed in adults:

Very common adverse effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):

• Increase in blood levels of a hormone called prolactin. Elevated prolactin levels may, in rare cases, lead to:
  • Breast enlargement and unexpected milk production in both boys and girls.
  • In girls, absence of menstrual periods or irregular periods.
• Increased appetite.
• Vomiting.
• Abnormal muscle movements. These include difficulty initiating muscle movements, tremors, restlessness, or painless muscle rigidity.
• Increased blood pressure.

Common adverse effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

• Feeling weak, fainting (which may lead to falls).
• Stuffy nose.
• 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 Normon

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

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

No special storage conditions are required.

Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Unused medicines and their containers should be taken to the SIGRE collection point at your pharmacy. If you are unsure, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of unused medicines and their packaging. This will help protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

Composition of Quetiapina Normon

The active substance is quetiapine. The tablets contain 300 mg of quetiapine (as quetiapine fumarate).

The other components are:

Tablet core: monohydrate lactose (lactose), calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl starch (type A) from potato (potato starch), croscarmellose sodium, povidone, magnesium stearate, colloidal anhydrous silica.

Tablet coating: hypromellose (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), titanium dioxide (E-171), and macrogol 6000.

Appearance of Quetiapina Normon and contents of the pack

The tablets are white or almost white, elongated and biconvex.

They are presented in PVC/aluminum blisters, in packs of 60 and 250 tablets.

Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer

LABORATORIOS NORMON, S.A.

Ronda de Valdecarrizo, 6 – 28760 Tres Cantos – Madrid (SPAIN)

Date of the most recent revision of this leaflet: June 2024

Detailed and up-to-date 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/

You can access detailed and up-to-date information about this medicine by scanning with your mobile phone (smartphone) the QR code included in the package leaflet and outer packaging. You can also access this information at the following internet address:

https://cima.aemps.es/cima/dochtml/p/71557/P_71557.html