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Generic Zyprexa
2.5/5/7.5/10/15/20mg

Bipolar disorder treatment

Bipolar disorder causes serious shifts in mood, energy, thinking, and behavior–from the highs of mania on one extreme, to the lows of depression on the other. Olanzapine may be used, alone or in combination with other medications, to treat the manic or mixed episodes (but not the depression) of bipolar disorder. In people whose manic episode is controlled with olanzapine, the medicine may also be used long-term as a mood stabiliser to prevent further manic and depressive episodes of bipolar disorder.

Recommended dosage

The dosage of olanzapine varies depending upon the reason for its use. When used to treat schizophrenia, 5–10 mg is the typical starting dosage. If dosage adjustments are needed, increases are made in 5-mg increments once a week. When treating schizophrenia, a total daily dosage of 10–15 mg is usually effective. When olanzapine is used to treat acute manic episodes, initial doses of olanzapine are often 10–15 mg; 20 mg per day may be needed for maximum effect.

Zyprexa Adverse Reactions

Olanzapine has the potential to produce a serious side effect called tardive dyskinesia . This syndrome consists of involuntary, uncoordinated movements that may appear late in therapy and not disappear even after the drug is stopped. An occasionally reported side effect of olanzapine is neuroleptic malignant syndrome. This is a complicated and potentially fatal condition characterized by muscle rigidity, high fever, alterations in mental status, and cardiac symptoms such as irregular pulse or blood pressure, sweating, tachycardia. Zyprexa contain the preservatives sodium methyl parahydroxybenzoate and sodium propyl parahydroxybenzoate, which may cause an allergic reaction in some people.