Generic Name: loxapine (LOX a peen)
Brand names: Loxitane, Loxitane C, Loxitane IM
What is loxapine?
Loxapine is an antipsychotic medication. It affects the actions of chemicals in your brain.
Loxapine is used to treat schizophrenia.
Loxapine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about loxapine?
Loxapine is not for use in psychotic conditions related to dementia. Loxapine may cause heart failure, sudden death, or pneumonia in older adults with dementia-related conditions.
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to loxapine, or if you have decreased alertness caused by taking certain medications or drinking alcohol.
Call your doctor at once if you have restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck.
Loxapine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.
Avoid drinking alcohol. You should not take loxapine if you are under the effects of alcohol.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Loxapine can decrease perspiration and you may be more prone to heat stroke.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking loxapine?
Loxapine is not for use in psychotic conditions related to dementia. Loxapine may cause heart failure, sudden death, or pneumonia in older adults with dementia-related conditions. You should not use this medication if you are allergic to loxapine, or if you have decreased alertness caused by taking certain medications or drinking alcohol.
To make sure you can safely take loxapine, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
a history of low white blood cell (WBC) counts;
glaucoma;
urination problems;
heart disease; or
a history of breast cancer;
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. Taking antipsychotic medication during the last 3 months of pregnancy may cause problems in the newborn, such as withdrawal symptoms, breathing problems, feeding problems, fussiness, tremors, and limp or stiff muscles. However, you may have withdrawal symptoms or other problems if you stop taking your medicine during pregnancy. If you become pregnant while taking loxapine, do not stop taking it without your doctor's advice. It is not known whether loxapine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take loxapine?
Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.
Loxapine is usually taken 2 to 4 times daily. Follow your doctor's instructions.
Take loxapine with a full glass of water. You may not start feeling better right away when you start taking loxapine. For best results, keep using the medication as directed. Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve during treatment. Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
See also: Loxapine dosage (in more detail)
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, dizziness, muscle stiffness or twitching, increased salivation, trouble swallowing, weakness, loss of balance or coordination, weak pulse, slow heart rate, weak or shallow breathing, fainting, or seizure (convulsions).
What should I avoid while taking loxapine?
Loxapine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.
Avoid drinking alcohol. You should not take loxapine if you are under the effects of alcohol.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Loxapine can decrease perspiration and you may be more prone to heat stroke.
Loxapine side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using loxapine and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, feeling like you might pass out;
restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck;
tremor (uncontrolled shaking);
trouble swallowing;
seizure (convulsions);
easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
vision changes;
severe constipation; or
urinating less than usual or not at all.
Less serious side effects may include:
dizziness or drowsiness;
blurred vision;
puffiness in your face;
feeling restless or agitated;
sleep problems (insomnia);
breast swelling or discharge;
changes in your menstrual periods;
nausea, vomiting, constipation;
changes in weight;
dry mouth, stuffy nose; or
mild skin rash, itching, or flaking.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Loxapine Dosing Information
Usual Adult Dose for Schizophrenia:
Initial Dose: 10 mg twice daily is recommended, although in severely disturbed patients initial dosage up to a total of 50 mg daily may be desirable. Dosage should then be increased fairly rapidly over the first seven to ten days until there is effective control of symptoms of schizophrenia.
Maintenance Dose: 60 mg to 100 mg daily. However, some patients respond to lower dosage and others may require higher dosage for optimal benefit.
Maximum dose: 250 mg/day.
What other drugs will affect loxapine?
Before using loxapine, tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). You should not take loxapine if you have drowsiness caused by other medications.
Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:
atropine (Atreza, Sal-Tropine), belladonna (Donnatal, and others), benztropine (Cogentin), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), methscopolamine (Pamine), or scopolamine (Transderm-Scop);
bronchodilators such as ipratropium (Atrovent) or tiotropium (Spiriva);
glycopyrrolate (Robinul);
mepenzolate (Cantil);
bladder or urinary medications such as darifenacin (Enablex), flavoxate (Urispas), oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol), tolterodine (Detrol), or solifenacin (Vesicare); or
irritable bowel medications such as dicyclomine (Bentyl), hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others), or propantheline (Pro-Banthine).
This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with loxapine. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
More loxapine resources
- Loxapine Side Effects (in more detail)
- Loxapine Dosage
- Loxapine Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Drug Images
- Loxapine Drug Interactions
- Loxapine Support Group
- 2 Reviews for Loxapine - Add your own review/rating
- loxapine Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information
- Loxapine Professional Patient Advice (Wolters Kluwer)
- Loxapine MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)
- Loxapine Prescribing Information (FDA)
- Loxapine Succinate Monograph (AHFS DI)
- Loxitane Prescribing Information (FDA)
Compare loxapine with other medications
- Schizophrenia
Where can I get more information?
- Your pharmacist can provide more information about loxapine.
See also: loxapine side effects (in more detail)
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