Mirtazapine
Description
Mirtazapine is a medicine that belongs to the class of tetracyclic antidepressant. It is used for the treatment of symptoms associated with severe/clinical depression.
QUICK LINKS:
Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Mirtazapine
- Uncontrolled muscle movements
- Mood swings
- Abnormal thinking
- Agitation and anxiety
- Difficulty in breathing
- Swelling of eyelids, face, lips
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Convulsions (seizures)
- Change in libido
- Fever with chills
- Dizziness and fainting
- Dry mouth and lips
- Weight gain
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Increased urination frequency
- Abnormal dreams
- Sense of constant movement of surroundings
Uses of Mirtazapine
What is it prescribed for?
- Depression
Read More
Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe amount of time taken for this medicine to show its effect is not clinically established.
- Duration of effectThe amount of time for which this medicine remains effective in the body is not clinically established.
- Safe with alcohol?Avoid or limit the uptake of alcohol while taking this medicine. Avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating machinery after taking this medicine.
- Is it habit forming?No habit forming tendencies were reported.
- Usage in pregnancy?This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless clearly needed and the benefits outweigh the risks. Consult your doctor before using this medicine.
- Usage while breast-feeding?This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women. It is advised to discontinue breastfeeding if the use of the medicine is necessary. Consult your doctor and discuss the risks before starting the use of this medicine.
Allergy
This medicine is not recommended for use if you have a known history of allergy to Mirtazepine or any other ingredient present with it.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI)
This medicine should not be used by patients taking any medicine belonging to MAO inhibitor category. The minimum time gap between the consumption of these medicines should be 14 days.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless clearly needed and the benefits outweigh the risks. Consult your doctor before using this medicine.
Breast-feeding
This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women. It is advised to discontinue breastfeeding if the use of the medicine is necessary. Consult your doctor and discuss the risks before starting the use of this medicine.
General warnings
Suicidal thoughts and behaviour
Use of this medicine is reported to provoke suicidal thoughts and increased suicidal tendencies, especially in young patients. Report any such incidence to the doctor so that counseling and monitoring of progress can be performed at regular intervals.
Serotonin syndrome
Use of this medicine along with other serotonergic drugs may cause a condition marked by high body temperature, agitation, increased reflexes, tremor, sweating, dilated pupils and diarrhea.
Withdrawal
The use of this medicine should not be discontinued abruptly. Symptoms of an abrupt withdrawal may include dizziness, abnormal dreams, agitation, anxiety, tremor etc.
Bone fracture
Use of this medicine has been associated with rare cases of bone fracture. Report any instance of bone pain, swelling, or bruising to the doctor while being treated with this medicine.
Movement disorder
Use of this medicine may cause a movement disorder marked be restlessness and a compelling need to be in constant motion. The patient may also feel that the surrounding, as well as himself, is moving constantly.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Use of this medicine has been associated with the occurrence of a rare but serious condition characterized by very high fever, irregular heart rate, increased need to breathe, muscle stiffness, altered mental status etc.
Glaucoma
This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from angle closure glaucoma.
Change in libido
Use of this medicine has been associated with a change in libido and sexual dysfunction.
Mania
Use of this medicine may precipitate mania and hence should be used with caution in patients suffering from bipolar disorder.
Heart and blood vessel disorder
Use of this medicine may worsen the symptoms of a heart or blood vessel disorder. It should be used with caution in such cases especially if the patient is taking other medications that could also affect the functioning of heart and blood vessels.
Drowsiness
Use of this medicine may cause drowsiness in some patients. You should refrain from driving or operating heavy machinery at least in the initial phase of treatment with this medicine.
Increased appetite and weight gain
Use of this medicine may cause an increase in appetite and may lead to weight gain.
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next scheduled dose then the missed dose can be skipped.
Overdose
Contact your doctor immediately if an overdose with this medicine is suspected. Symptoms of an overdose may include confusion, difficulty in recalling past incidents, increased pulse rate, and drowsiness.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Use of alcohol may increase the severity and occurrence of side effects like dizziness, drowsiness, difficulty in concentration etc.
Instructions
Avoid or limit the uptake of alcohol while taking this medicine. Avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating machinery after taking this medicine.
Interaction with Medicine
Amitriptyline
Cisapride
Fluoxetine
Linezolid
Mifepristone
Moxifloxacin
Ondansetron
Tramadol
Quinidine
Selegiline
5-Hydroxytryptophan
Disease interactions
Liver/kidney impairment
This medicine should be administered with caution in patients having an impairment of liver/kidney function. Appropriate dose adjustment and frequent monitoring are advised in such cases.
Pheochromocytoma
This medicine should be used with caution in patients having a tumor of the adrenal glands as the risk of severe adverse effects are significantly high.
Seizure disorders
This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from epilepsy or any other form of seizure disorder.
Glaucoma
This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from angle closure glaucoma. Use of this medicine may cause the intraocular pressure to rise worsening the symptoms of the disease.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Mirtazapine exactly as instructed by the doctor. Follow all the labeled instructions while taking this medicine. Ensure that the right quantity of medicine is consumed for the prescribed duration only. This medicine is usually taken at bedtime with an adequate amount of water. It may take several weeks for the symptoms to improve. Do not stop the use of this medicine abruptly.
Miscelleneous
How it works
This medicine works by affecting the communication process between nerve cells and restoring the chemical balance in the brain.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Tetracyclic antidepressants
Schedule
Schedule H
[Internet]. 2017 [cited 30 May 2017]. Available from:
DailyMed - Mirtazapine tablet [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 30 May 2017]. Available from:
Mirtazapine - DrugBank [Internet]. Drugbank.ca. 2017 [cited 30 May 2017]. Available from:
Mirtazapine | C17H19N3 - PubChem [Internet]. Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 30 May 2017]. Available from:
Information on this page was last updated on 5 Jan 2018
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.