Quetiapine

Quetiapine ( kwi-TY-ə-peen), sold under the brand name Seroquel among others, is a medication of the atypical antipsychotic class. It is used in the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Quetiapine is also widely prescribed off-label as a sleep aid for its tranquillizing effects. Some have raised concerns that the undesirable side effects from off-label use may outweigh its benefits, though this remains an active area of research. It is taken orally. Common side effects include sedation, fatigue, weight gain, constipation, and dry mouth. Other side effects include low blood pressure with standing, seizures, high blood sugar, tardive dyskinesia, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. In older people with dementia, its use increases the risk of death. Use in the third trimester of pregnancy may result in a movement disorder in the baby for some time after birth. Quetiapine is believed to work by blocking a number of receptors, including those for serotonin and dopamine. Quetiapine was developed in 1985 and was approved for medical use in the United States in 1997. It is available as a generic medication. In 2023, it was the most prescribed antipsychotic and 60th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 10 million prescriptions. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. The drug is typically among two antipsychotics (the other being olanzapine) to have superior efficacy for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Quetiapine is one of only two antipsychotics (the other is cariprazine) that produce equal efficacy as standalone therapies for mixed manic-depressive mood swings as they do in combination with an SSRI antidepressant. However, it is less potent than clozapine, amisulpride, olanzapine, risperidone, and paliperidone in alleviating psychotic symptoms or treating schizophrenia.