What is Quetiapine and what is it used for

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Abraham McLaughlin
What is Quetiapine and what is it used for

Quetapiana is one of the best known antipsychotic or neuroleptic drugs used to treat mental disorders. It is a substance that is convenient to know well to know how to use it properly, so let's see it!!

A drug used in people with mental disorders

The first thing to know is that there are a series of substances that allow to keep under control some of the symptoms derived from various mental disorders. Thanks to this type of medication it is possible that people suffering from this type of disease can have a normal life.

Some examples of disorders that are treated with this class of drugs are those that produce psychotic outbreaks, such as schizophrenia. They are also frequently used to treat patients with severe manic-depressive symptoms, as well as bipolar disorder..

But what do these antipsychotic drugs actually do? The operation of this principle is as follows: this active principle performs its activity as an antagonist of serotonin and dopamine receptors. Its metabolization is carried out in the liver.

The mechanism of action of this drug is that it acts on dopamine and serotonergic receptors, so that dopamine D2 receptors are blocked in the brain and serotonin receptors..

Quetiapine is also usually very effective when combined with other drugs. One of them is lithium, widely used to alleviate the symptoms of depression. For this reason, it is very common to find drugs that have both components, since together they are effective to treat these cases..

The key to this drug is that it is not only effective in psychological symptoms, such as hallucinations or insomnia, but also in alleviating apathy or sadness. This makes quetiapine widely used in patients with bipolar depression..

What diseases is quetiapine used for

As we have said before, quetiapine is a drug that is used primarily to treat disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. These mental illnesses are the ones that have traditionally been most treated with this drug..

However, as it is a disease that produces few motor side effects, it is also widely used to treat people who suffer from problems and symptoms such as Parkinson's, a disease that is more common in people of advanced age..

This is so because this drug helps to improve typical symptoms of Parkinson's and Parkinsonism, such as tremor and muscle stiffness. These are the problems that most often affect the quality of life of patients affected by these diseases.

Many studies have been devoted to investigating how this drug works in elderly people. The results in most cases have been very positive, so that this type of medication has been indicated in patients with age-related diseases. Another of them is, in addition to Parkinson's, is senile dementia or illnesses such as Alzheimer's.

Quetiapine side effects

Regarding the side effects of this drug, one of the most frequent is the sedative effect they produce in the patient. However, it is common for the person to get used to living with this state without it being a problem for their day to day.

Another of the most frequent effects is weight gain, due to the alterations it produces in the metabolism of those who consume it. However, once the person gets used to its consumption, the side effects usually subside and stop producing these physical changes in the patient..

Hyperglycemia is also quite common, even the patient suffering from diabetes. In this case, you have to be very careful and always maintain medical control to avoid a disease of this type from occurring as a result of the consumption of this drug..

Other milder symptoms, although also quite uncomfortable, are constipation problems. Blurred vision, a feeling of dry mouth or dizziness are also side effects that are associated with this medicine, so it must be taken into account if you notice any of them that may be caused by its consumption..

Regarding contraindications, this drug is not indicated in patients who have heart problems or are susceptible to them. Nor can they be taken for people with diabetes, since it produces serious alterations in the glycemic index and usually leads to weight gain..

In short, quetiapine is a drug that has proven to be very effective in the treatment of psychotic disorders, as well as in alleviating depressive symptoms when combined with other components. We hope that with this information you can have a little clearer what this drug is for.


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