What is the drug Fluanxol? Instructions for use of this medicine, its composition, side effects, release form and pharmacological characteristics will be described in detail in this article. From it you will learn about what contraindications and indications the mentioned drug has, how much it costs, what will happen in case of an overdose, etc.
The composition of the drug and its release form
What is the active ingredient in Fluanxol? The instruction for use of this medication states that flupentixol hydrochloride acts as the active ingredient in it.
As for the form of release, today this tool can be found only in drops, tablets and an oil-based solution intended for intramuscular administration. The first medicine goes on sale in 10 ml tinted glass, the second - in cardboard packaging of 100 or 50 pieces, and the third - in ampoules of 10 pieces.
General properties of the drug
What is Fluanxol Medication intended for? Patient reviews about this drug will be presented later. Tablets and injection are in the group of antipsychotics. They have anxiolytic, antidepressant and sedative effects. Positive reviews about this drug contain information that it effectively activates the patient’s emotional state and contributes to his social adaptation.
Pharmacological characteristics of the drug
What pharmacological characteristics does Fluanxol have? Instructions for use indicate that this drug is an antipsychotic that blocks adrenergic receptors and dopamine receptors in the brain. As a result of exposure to the active substance, a sedative effect is achieved . As a rule, this occurs during 8 days of regular intake of the drug.
What do patients say about Fluanxol? Reviews of patients contain a lot of interesting information. In most cases, they note that this drug quickly eliminates the symptoms of psychosis and depression, and also helps to restore thinking. Patients who have had antisocial disorders become outgoing and adapt in society.
Features of the medication
How does the drug Fluanxol? Reviews of doctors and other specialists say that the peculiarity of this drug is that, depending on the dose, it can act on the patient in different ways.
The antipsychotic effect of the drug appears after the use of the drug in an amount of 3 mg per day. By the way, the intensity of this effect increases with increasing dosage.
In a volume of up to 25 mg per day, the drug does not have a sedative effect. However, it should be noted that at higher doses, it can cause a nonspecific sedative effect.
In the entire range of prescribed doses, the antipsychotic agent has a pronounced anxiolytic effect. When using small doses (up to about 3 mg per day), the drug can serve as a regular antidepressant medication.
Thus, the drug Fluanxol is able to reduce the main signs of psychosis, including paranoid delirium, hallucinations and impaired thinking. It has disinhibition properties (that is, activating and anti-autistic), and also reduces mood disorders, which ultimately helps to activate patients with depressive symptoms, facilitates their social adaptation and increases sociability.
Injection Form Details
The drug "Fluanxol Depot" is an oily solution intended for intramuscular depot injection. In other words, this medication is a deposited form of flupentixol.
When using such a solution in small as well as medium dosages (up to 100 mg once every 14 days), the patient does not have a nonspecific sedative effect. Although it still develops at high doses.
What do experts say about this form of the drug (Fluanxol Depot)? Reviews say that such a solution has a longer duration of exposure to the patient than a medication in tablets. Moreover, thanks to it, it is easy to carry out continuous antipsychotic treatment, which is extremely important for patients who do not comply with medical prescriptions.
From all of the above, we can conclude that the Fluanxol Depot medication is able to prevent frequent relapses associated with spontaneous interruption of therapy. Intramuscular injections can be carried out at intervals of two or four weeks.
Pharmacokinetics
How long are fluanxol tablets absorbed? After oral administration, the maximum concentration of the active element in the plasma is reached after about 3-7 hours. The bioavailability of the drug is 40%.
The active element of the drug slightly penetrates the placental barrier. It should also be noted that in small quantities it is excreted in breast milk. By the way, metabolites do not have antipsychotic activity.
How does Fluanxol Depot Injection work? The instruction states that after intramuscular administration, the substance cis (Z) -fluupentixol decanoate undergoes cleavage (enzymatic). In this case, the active element cis (Z) -flupentixol and decanoic acid are formed. The maximum concentration of the first in serum is reached by the end of the 1st week after the injection.
When taking the tablets inside, the period of their excretion is about 35 hours. If an injection was used, then the concentration in the serum decreases exponentially (after 3 weeks).
This medication is excreted in the form of metabolites through the intestines, as well as by the kidneys.
Indications for the use of antipsychotic drugs
In what cases is the drug Fluanxol indicated? Its effect may be different, depending on the dosage.
The drug is indicated in doses up to 3 mg per day with the following pathological conditions:
- depression of moderate and mild degree, accompanied by asthenia, anxiety and lack of initiative;
- psychosomatic disorders that manifest with asthenic reactions;
- neurotic disorders (chronic), accompanied by apathy, depression and anxiety;
- situational and acute anxiety disorders, as well as states of excessive emotional stress that do not require a sedative or hypnotic effect (for example, if the patient abuses tranquilizers).
Fluanxol medication, analogues of which will be presented at the end of the article, is prescribed in doses of 3 mg per day or more, if there are the following deviations: psychotic conditions, which are accompanied by paranoid delusions, hallucinations, impaired thinking, anergy, apathy and autism.
Contraindications to the use of antipsychotic drugs
In what cases is it not recommended to use the drug "Fluanxol"? Instructions for use include the following list of contraindications:
- children's age (up to 18 years);
- depression of the central nervous system;
- lactation period;
- pregnancy period;
- intoxication (acute) with barbiturates;
- collapse;
- acute intoxication with opioid analgesics;
- pheochromocytoma;
- acute alcohol poisoning;
- coma;
- bone marrow depression;
- pathological changes in blood;
- hypersensitivity to antipsychotics having a thioxanthene structure.
It should also be noted that in a state of hyperactivity or arousal, it is not recommended to prescribe the drug in small doses (up to 3 mg).
The drug "Fluanxol": instructions (tablets, drops)
For the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders, the initial dosage of the drug in tablets should be 1 mg once a day (preferably in the morning) or 500 mcg twice a day. If there is no therapeutic effect, then after a week the volume of the drug can be increased to 2 mg. In this case, the daily dosage (2-3 mg) must be divided into several doses. If there is no effect when using the drug in the maximum dose (i.e. 3 mg), then it should be discontinued.
In the treatment of psychotic conditions, the amount of medication is established only individually. The initial daily dosage should be 3-15 mg in 3 divided doses. If necessary, the indicated volume can be increased to 20 or 30 mg per day. In this case, the maximum dosage should not exceed 40 mg.
As a supportive treatment, the drug presented is prescribed in an amount of 5-20 mg once a day (in the morning).
As for the drops of "Fluanxol", they should be taken only inside. Usually, doctors prescribe this form of the drug only if for some reason it cannot take the medicine orally (in tablets). The maintenance dosage for patients is 4-40 mg per day.
Fluanxol Injection Solution: instructions, patient reviews
An oil solution for intramuscular depot injection must be injected deep into the outer upper quadrant of the buttock. Dosages and the interval between procedures should be set only individually (depending on the therapeutic effect).
This drug is usually used in an amount of 20-40 mg (or 1-2 ml) every 2 or 4 weeks. It should be noted that some patients may require large dosages and a short interval between injections.
If the prescribed volume of medication for injection (20 mg / ml) exceeds 2 or 3 ml per 1 procedure, then it is necessary to switch to a solution with a high concentration.
The drug 100 mg / ml should be administered in a volume of 50-200 mg (or 0.5-2 ml) every 2-4 weeks. In acute relapse or exacerbation of the disease, simultaneous administration of the drug in an amount of up to 400 mg at intervals of 2 or 1 week is sometimes required. After the acute symptoms have passed, it is necessary to gradually reduce the dosage to the maintenance dose (20-200 mg every 2-4 weeks).
If you want to switch from the oral form of the drug to supportive therapy with a parenteral drug, it is recommended to rely on the following scheme:
- daily volume (in mg) of the drug in tablets x 4 = single dose (in mg) of the injection solution every 14 days.
It should also be noted that within one week after administration of the drug, it is recommended to continue taking the drug in tablets, but in a lower dose. The subsequent volume and interval between the procedures are set in accordance with the therapeutic effect.
The maximum dosage of an injection solution (single-stage) is about 400 mg. In this case, the interval between injections should be one week.
According to patients' reviews, with proper use of the drug and compliance with medical recommendations, it positively affects their overall emotional state.
Side effects
Can the drug Fluanxol adversely affect the body? Side effects are present in this drug, regardless of its form. We list them right now.
- Nervous system: hyperkinetic-hypertonic syndrome (extrapyramidal lung), weakness, akathisia, increased fatigue, dizziness, psychomotor inhibition, tardive dyskinesia, dystonic and neuroleptic malignant syndromes.
- Heart and blood vessels: tachycardia, orthostatic hypotension.
- Hematopoietic system: granulocytopenia.
- Sense organs: disturbance of accommodation.
- Gastrointestinal tract: constipation, cholestatic jaundice, dry mouth, transient changes in liver tests.
- Endocrine system: weight gain, galactorrhea, sweating, gynecomastia, impotence, dysmenorrhea, increased appetite, decreased libido, hot flashes.
- Urinary system: urinary retention.
- Allergy: dermatitis, photosensitivity and skin rash.
Special instructions for use
With extreme caution, the medication is prescribed to patients with cardiovascular disorders, convulsive syndrome, respiratory failure, glaucoma, Parkinson's disease, gastric ulcer and 12 duodenal ulcer, asthma, alcoholism, emphysema, urinary retention, liver failure and prostatic hyperplasia.
If the patient has previously taken antipsychotics or sedatives with a sedative effect, then their reception must be stopped smoothly.
With long-term treatment, especially in high dosages, it is recommended to monitor and evaluate the patient's condition in order to adjust the maintenance dose.
With the simultaneous treatment of diabetes, the administration of this drug may require correction of the volume of insulin.
With the use of antipsychotics, the development of malignant antipsychotic syndrome is possible . Its main symptoms are muscle stiffness, hyperthermia, impaired consciousness and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. With such signs, an urgent withdrawal of the medication and the appointment of supportive symptomatic therapy are required.
In most cases, the drug "Fluanxol" does not cause a sedative effect. But, despite this, one should take into account its possible impact on the ability to safely control the machine or other mechanisms. I would also like to note that during therapy (especially at the very beginning), patients should avoid potentially dangerous types of work (before determining the reaction to the drug).
Overdose cases
If the medication is not taken correctly (in increased volumes), an overdose may occur. In this case, the following symptoms appear: hypo- or hyperthermia, drowsiness, convulsions, extrapyramidal disorders, shock, arterial hypotension and coma.
What to do in such a situation? Supportive and symptomatic therapy is necessary. If the drug was taken orally, then you need to quickly rinse the stomach, and also take the sorbent. In addition, it is extremely important to maintain the activity of blood vessels, heart and respiratory system. It is not recommended to use epinephrine, as it can lead to a decrease in blood pressure. Extrapyramidal signs can be stopped with Biperiden, and seizures with Diazepam.
Interaction with other drugs
With the simultaneous use of this medication, the sedative effect of barbiturates, ethanol and other drugs that have a depressing effect on the central nervous system can be enhanced.
The drug "Fluanxol" is not recommended for use with the substance guanethidine and drugs with similar effects. This fact is due to the fact that antipsychotics can pretty much weaken their hypotensive effect.
With the simultaneous use of the drug "Fluanxol", it can reduce the effectiveness of the drug "Levodop" and other adrenergic drugs.
With the simultaneous administration of the drug with “piperazine” and “metoclopramide”, the risk of extrapyramidal disorders significantly increases.
It should also be noted that the presented antipsychotic medication in the form of a solution for injection should in no case be mixed with other liquids.
Price and analogues of the drug
How much is Fluanxol? Its price is pretty high. So, for 50 tablets of 1 mg, you will have to give about 500 Russian rubles. If you need 100 tablets of 5 mg, then they can be purchased for 1200 rubles. As for the injectable form of the drug, it is even more expensive. For 10 ampoules (20 mg / ml), pharmacists require about 2300 rubles.
What to do if the patient was not able to purchase the drug "Fluanxol"? Its analogs are sold in almost all pharmacy chains. Among them, the following can be noted:
- Fluanxol Depot Solution. It is a faster and stronger drug. However, it is much more expensive than pills.
- Medication "Clopixolum". The cost is very close to the original. It goes on sale in tablets and has few contraindications.
- Means "Truksal". Sold in tablets. The main advantage is its use for children from 3 years old. The cost is slightly higher than the original.