Olanzapine Intramuscular
OLANZAPINE
Indications and usage 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic indicated: As Olanzapine for Injection for the: Treatment of acute agitation associated with schizophrenia and bipolar I mania. ( 1.4 ) Efficacy was established in three 1-day trials in adults. ( 14.3 ) 1.4 Olanzapine for Injection: Agitation Associated with Schizophrenia and Bipolar I Mania Olanzapine for Injection is indicated for the treatment of acute agitation associated with schizophrenia and bipolar I mania.
Efficacy was demonstrated in 3 short-term (24 hours of IM treatment) placebo-controlled trials in agitated adult inpatients with: schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder (manic or mixed episodes) [see Clinical Studies ( 14.3 )] . “Psychomotor agitation” is defined in DSM-IV as “excessive motor activity associated with a feeling of inner tension.” Patients experiencing agitation often manifest behaviors that interfere with their diagnosis and care, e.g., threatening behaviors, escalating or urgently distressing behavior, or self-exhausting behavior, leading clinicians to the use of intramuscular antipsychotic medications to achieve immediate control of the agitation.
Structured Monograph
Clinical summary
Indications and usage 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic indicated: As Olanzapine for Injection for the: Treatment of acute agitation associated with schizophrenia and bipolar I mania. ( 1.4 ) Efficacy was established in three 1-day trials in adults. ( 14.3 ) 1.4 Olanzapine for Injection: Agitation Associated with Schizophrenia and Bipolar I Mania Olanzapine for Injection is indicated for the treatment of acute agitation associated with schizophrenia and bipolar I mania. Efficacy was demonstrated in 3 short-term (24 hours of IM treatment) placebo-controlled trials in agitated adult inpatients with: schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder (manic or mixed episodes) [see Clinical Studies ( 14.3 )] . “Psychomotor agitation” is defined in DSM-IV as “excessive motor activity associated with a feeling of inner tension.” Patients experiencing agitation often manifest behaviors that interfere with their diagnosis and care, e.g., threatening behaviors, escalating or urgently distressing behavior, or self-exhausting behavior, leading clinicians to the use of intramuscular antipsychotic medications to achieve immediate control of the agitation. Dosage and administration 2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Agitation associated with Schizophrenia and Bipolar I Mania in adults ( 2.4 ) IM: 10 mg (5 mg or 7.5 mg when clinically warranted) Assess for orthostatic hypotension prior to subsequent dosing (max. 3 doses 2-4 hrs apart) Lower starting dose recommended in debilitated or pharmacodynamically sensitive patients or patients with predisposition to hypotensive reactions, or with potential for slowed metabolism. ( 2.4 ) 2.4 Olanzapine for Injection: Agitation Associated with Schizophrenia and Bipolar I Mania Dose Selection for Agitated Adult Patients with Schizophrenia and Bipolar I Mania — The efficacy of intramuscular olanzapine for injection in controlling agitation in these disorders was demonstrated in a dose range of 2.5 mg to 10 mg. The recommended dose in these patients is 10 mg. A lower dose of 5 or 7.5 mg may be considered when clinical factors warrant [see Clinical Studies ( 14.3 )] . If agitation warranting additional intramuscular doses persists following the initial dose, subsequent doses up to 10 mg may be given. However, the efficacy of repeated doses of intramuscular olanzapine for injection in agitated patients has not been systematically evaluated in controlled clinical trials. Also, the safety of total daily doses greater than 30 mg, or 10 mg injections given more frequently than 2 hours after the initial dose, and 4 hours after the second dose have not been evaluated in clinical trials. Maximal dosing of intramuscular olanzapine (e.g., 3 doses of 10 mg administered 2-4 hours apart) may be associated with a substantial occurrence of significant orthostatic hypotension [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 )] . Thus, it is recommended that patients requiring subsequent intramuscular injections be assessed for orthostatic hypotension prior to the administration of any subsequent doses of intramuscular olanzapine for injection. The administration of an additional dose to a patient with a clinically significant postural change in systolic blood pressure is not recommended. If ongoing olanzapine therapy is clinically indicated, oral olanzapine may be initiated in a range of 5-20 mg/day as soon as clinically appropriate. Intramuscular Dosing in Special Populations — A dose of 5 mg/injection should be considered for geriatric patients or when other clinical factors warrant. A lower dose of 2.5 mg/injection should be considered for patients who otherwise might be debilitated, be predisposed to hypotensive reactions, or be more pharmacodynamically sensitive to olanzapine [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.14 ), Drug Interactions ( 7 ), and Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . Administration of Olanzapine for Injection — Olanzapine for Injection is intended for intramuscular use only. Do not administer intravenously or subcutaneously. Inject slowly, deep into the muscle mass. Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit. Directions for Preparation of Olanzapine for Injection with Sterile Water for Injection — Dissolve the contents of the vial using 2.1 mL of Sterile Water for Injection to provide a solution containing approximately 5 mg/mL of olanzapine. The resulting solution should appear clear and yellow. Olanzapine for injection reconstituted with Sterile Water for Injection should be used immediately (within 1 hour) after reconstitution. Discard any unused portion. The following table provides injection volumes for delivering various doses of intramuscular olanzapine for injection reconstituted with Sterile Water for Injection. Dose, mg Olanzapine Volume of Injection, mL 10 Withdraw total contents of vial 7.5 1.5 5 1 2.5 0.5 Physical Incompatibility Information — Olanzapine for Injecti
Boxed Warning
WARNING: INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. Analyses of seventeen placebo-controlled trials (modal duration of 10 weeks), largely in patients taking atypical antipsychotic drugs, revealed a risk of death in drug-treated patients of between 1.6 to 1.7 times the risk of death in placebo-treated patients. Over the course of a typical 10-week controlled trial, the rate of death in drug-treated patients was about 4.5%, compared to a rate of about 2.6% in the placebo group. Although the causes of death were varied, most of the deaths appeared to be either cardiovascular (e.g., heart failure, sudden death) or infectious (e.g., pneumonia) in nature. Observational studies suggest that, similar to atypical antipsychotic drugs, treatment with conventional antipsychotic drugs may increase mortality. The extent to which the findings of increased mortality in observational studies may be attributed to the antipsychotic drug as opposed to some characteristic(s) of the patients is not clear. Olanzapine is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 ), Use in Specific Populations ( 8.5 ), and Patient Counseling Information ( 17 )] . WARNING: INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. Olanzapine is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis. ( 5.1 , 8.5 , 17 )
Monitoring
- • 5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis: Increased risk of death and increased incidence of cerebrovascular adverse events (e.g., stroke, transient ischemic attack).
- • ( 5.1 ) Suicide: The possibility of a suicide attempt is inherent in schizophrenia and in bipolar I disorder, and close supervision of high-risk patients should accompany drug therapy.
- • ( 5.2 ) Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome: Manage with immediate discontinuation and close monitoring.
- • ( 5.3 ) Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS): Discontinue if DRESS is suspected.
Interaction Notes
- • 7 DRUG INTERACTIONS The risks of using olanzapine in combination with other drugs have not been extensively evaluated in systematic studies.
- • Diazepam: May potentiate orthostatic hypotension.
- • ( 7.1 , 7.2 ) Alcohol: May potentiate orthostatic hypotension.
- • ( 7.1 ) Carbamazepine: Increased clearance of olanzapine.