Zolafren-svift

Leaflet attached to the packaging: patient information

Zolafren-swift, 5 mg, orally disintegrating tablets

Zolafren-swift, 10 mg, orally disintegrating tablets

Zolafren-swift, 15 mg, orally disintegrating tablets

Zolafren-swift, 20 mg, orally disintegrating tablets

Olanzapine

You should carefully read the contents of this leaflet before taking the medicine, as it contains important information for the patient.

• You should keep this leaflet, so you can read it again if you need to.
• If you have any doubts, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed specifically for you. Do not pass it on to others. The medicine may harm another person, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
• If you experience any side effects, including those not listed in this leaflet, you should tell your doctor or pharmacist. See section 4.

Table of contents of the leaflet

• 1. What is Zolafren-swift and what is it used for
• 2. Important information before taking Zolafren-swift
• 3. How to take Zolafren-swift
• 4. Possible side effects
• 5. How to store Zolafren-swift
• 6. Contents of the packaging and other information

1. What is Zolafren-swift and what is it used for

Zolafren-swift contains the active substance olanzapine. Zolafren-swift belongs to a group of medicines called antipsychotics and is used to treat:

• Schizophrenia - a disease characterized by the patient hearing, seeing, or feeling things that do not exist in reality, having beliefs that are contrary to reality, being overly suspicious, and withdrawing from contact with others. The patient may experience depression, anxiety, or tension;
• Moderate to severe manic episodes - disease states whose symptoms are agitation or euphoria.

It has been shown that Zolafren-swift prevents the recurrence of these symptoms in patients with bipolar affective disorder who have responded well to olanzapine treatment for a manic episode.

2. Important information before taking Zolafren-swift

When not to take Zolafren-swift

If you are allergic to olanzapine or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). An allergic reaction may manifest as a rash, itching, swelling of the face, lip swelling, or difficulty breathing. If such symptoms occur, you should inform your doctor;
if you have eye disorders such as certain types of glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye).

Warnings and precautions

Before starting treatment with Zolafren-swift, you should discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist.
Zolafren-swift is not recommended for use in elderly patients with dementia, as it may cause very serious side effects.
Medicines in this group may cause abnormal movements, especially in the face or tongue. If you experience such a symptom after taking Zolafren-swift, you should inform your doctor.
Very rarely, medicines of this type cause a syndrome of symptoms including fever, rapid breathing, sweating, muscle stiffness, and drowsiness or sleepiness. If such symptoms occur, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Patient taking Zolafren-swift have experienced weight gain. You should have your weight checked regularly. If necessary, you should consider consulting a dietitian or seeking help in establishing a diet.
Patient taking Zolafren-swift have experienced high blood sugar and high lipid levels (triglycerides and cholesterol). Before taking Zolafren-swift and during treatment, your doctor should perform blood tests to determine your blood sugar and lipid levels.
You should tell your doctor if you or a family member have had blood clots, as similar medicines have been associated with the formation of blood clots.
If you have any of the following diseases, you should immediately inform your doctor:

• stroke or "mini" stroke (transient stroke symptoms);
• Parkinson's disease;
• prostate disorders;
• intestinal obstruction (paralytic ileus);
• liver or kidney disease;
• blood diseases;
• heart disease;
• diabetes;
• seizures;
• if you know that you may have lost salt due to prolonged, severe diarrhea and vomiting (nausea and vomiting) or the use of diuretics (urinary medicines).

If you have dementia and have had a stroke or "mini" stroke, you (or your caregiver) should tell your doctor.
As a precaution, in people over 65 years of age, the doctor may monitor blood pressure.

Children and adolescents

Zolafren-swift is not intended for use in patients under 18 years of age.

Zolafren-swift and other medicines

People taking Zolafren-swift may only take other medicines with the consent of their doctor.
Taking Zolafren-swift in combination with antidepressant, sedative, or sleeping medicines may cause drowsiness.
You should tell your doctor about all medicines you are currently taking or have recently taken, as well as any medicines you plan to take.
In particular, you should tell your doctor if you are taking:

• medicines used to treat Parkinson's disease;
• carbamazepine (an antiepileptic and mood stabilizer), fluvoxamine (an antidepressant), or ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic) - a dose adjustment of Zolafren-swift may be necessary.

Zolafren-swift with alcohol

You should not drink alcohol after taking Zolafren-swift, as this medicine in combination with alcohol may cause drowsiness.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to have a child, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine. Women who are breastfeeding should not take Zolafren-swift, as small amounts of it may pass into breast milk.
In newborns whose mothers took Zolafren-swift in the last trimester (last 3 months of pregnancy), the following symptoms may occur: trembling, muscle stiffness, and (or) weakness, drowsiness, agitation, difficulty breathing, and difficulty feeding. If you notice such symptoms in your child, you should contact your doctor.

Driving and operating machinery

Zolafren-swift may cause drowsiness. If drowsiness occurs, you should not drive vehicles or operate any machines and devices. You should inform your doctor.

Aspartame

Zolafren-swift, 5 mg contains 2.40 mg of aspartame in each orally disintegrating tablet.
Zolafren-swift, 10 mg contains 4.80 mg of aspartame in each orally disintegrating tablet.
Zolafren-swift, 15 mg contains 7.20 mg of aspartame in each orally disintegrating tablet.
Zolafren-swift, 20 mg contains 9.60 mg of aspartame in each orally disintegrating tablet.
Aspartame is a source of phenylalanine. It may be harmful to patients with phenylketonuria. This is a rare genetic disorder in which phenylalanine accumulates in the body due to its improper excretion.

Sodium

The medicine contains less than 1 mmol (23 mg) of sodium per tablet, which means the medicine is considered "sodium-free".

Benzyl alcohol - an ingredient of the flavor and aroma enhancer (orange flavor)

Zolafren-swift, 5 mg contains 0.03 mg of benzyl alcohol in each orally disintegrating tablet.
Zolafren-swift, 10 mg contains 0.06 mg of benzyl alcohol in each orally disintegrating tablet.
Zolafren-swift, 15 mg contains 0.1 mg of benzyl alcohol in each orally disintegrating tablet.
Zolafren-swift, 20 mg contains 0.1 mg of benzyl alcohol in each orally disintegrating tablet.
Benzyl alcohol may cause allergic reactions.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult their doctor before taking the medicine, as a large amount of benzyl alcohol may accumulate in their body and cause side effects (so-called metabolic acidosis).
Patient with liver or kidney disease should consult their doctor before taking the medicine, as a large amount of benzyl alcohol may accumulate in their body and cause side effects (so-called metabolic acidosis).

3. How to take Zolafren-swift

This medicine should always be taken as directed by your doctor. If you have any doubts, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Your doctor will decide on the number of tablets and how long you should take Zolafren-swift. The daily dose of Zolafren-swift is 5 mg to 20 mg. If the symptoms of the disease recur, you should inform your doctor. However, you should not stop taking Zolafren-swift unless your doctor decides to do so.
Zolafren-swift tablets should be taken once a day as directed by your doctor. You should try to take the medicine at the same time every day. It does not matter whether you take the tablets with or without food. Zolafren-swift orally disintegrating tablets should be taken orally.
Zolafren-swift tablets should not be touched with wet hands, as they may disintegrate.
The tablet can also be placed in a full glass of water, orange juice, apple juice, milk, or coffee, and then mixed. Some drinks may change color and become cloudy when the tablet is added and mixed. The resulting liquid should be taken immediately.

Taking a higher dose of Zolafren-swift than recommended

In patients who have taken a higher dose of Zolafren-swift than recommended, the following symptoms have occurred: rapid heartbeat, agitation or aggressive behavior, difficulty speaking, involuntary movements (especially of the face or tongue), and decreased consciousness. Other symptoms include:
severe confusion (disorientation), seizures (epilepsy), coma, simultaneous occurrence of fever, rapid breathing, sweating, muscle stiffness, and drowsiness or excessive sleepiness, decreased breathing rate, choking, high or low blood pressure, heart rhythm disturbances. You should contact your doctor immediately or go to the hospital if you experience any of these symptoms. You should show your doctor the packaging with the tablets.

Missing a dose of Zolafren-swift

As soon as you remember, you should take a tablet. You should not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose.

Stopping treatment with Zolafren-swift

You should not stop taking the tablets as soon as you feel better. It is important to take the medicine for as long as your doctor recommends.
If you suddenly stop taking Zolafren-swift, you may experience the following symptoms: sweating, insomnia, trembling, anxiety, nausea, or vomiting. Your doctor may recommend gradually reducing the dose of Zolafren-swift before stopping treatment.
If you have any further doubts about taking this medicine, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
You should immediately inform your doctor if you experience:

• abnormal movements, especially in the face or tongue (a common side effect that may affect up to 1 in 10 patients);
• blood clots in the veins (an uncommon side effect that may affect up to 1 in 100 patients), especially in the legs (symptoms include swelling, pain, redness of the leg), which can move through the bloodstream to the lungs, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should immediately consult your doctor.
• simultaneous occurrence of fever, rapid breathing, sweating, muscle stiffness, and drowsiness or excessive sleepiness (the frequency of this side effect cannot be determined from the available data).
• hypersensitivity (e.g., swelling in the mouth and throat, itching, rash) (an uncommon side effect that may affect up to 1 in 100 patients).
• severe allergic reactions, such as drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). In DRESS, initial symptoms are flu-like with a rash on the face, followed by a widespread rash, high body temperature, enlarged lymph nodes, elevated liver enzyme activity, and an increased number of one type of white blood cell (eosinophilia) (the frequency of this side effect cannot be determined from the available data).

Very common side effects (which may affect more than 1 in 10 patients) include weight gain, drowsiness, and increased prolactin levels in the blood. In the early stages of treatment, dizziness or fainting (with a decrease in heart rate) may occur, especially when standing up from a lying or sitting position. These symptoms usually go away on their own, but if they persist, you should inform your doctor.
Common side effects (which may affect up to 1 in 10 patients) include changes in the number of certain blood cells, lipid levels in the blood, and transient increases in liver enzyme activity (especially at the beginning of treatment), increased blood sugar and urine levels, increased uric acid and creatine phosphokinase activity in the blood, increased alkaline phosphatase activity, high gamma-glutamyltransferase activity, increased appetite, dizziness, restlessness, tremors, movement disorders (dyskinesias), constipation, dry mouth, weakness, extreme fatigue, water retention in the body causing swelling of the hands, feet, or ankles, fever, joint pain, and sexual disorders, such as decreased libido in men and women or erectile dysfunction in men.
Uncommon side effects (which may affect up to 1 in 100 patients) include diabetes or worsening of its course, occasionally with ketoacidosis (presence of ketone bodies in the blood and urine) or coma, seizures, usually in patients who have had seizures (epilepsy) before, muscle stiffness or spasms (including eye movements), restless legs syndrome, speech disorders, stuttering, slow heart rate, irregular heartbeat (changes in the electrocardiogram), sensitivity to sunlight, nosebleeds, abdominal bloating, excessive salivation (hypersalivation), memory loss or lack of memory, urinary incontinence, difficulty urinating, feeling of urgency to urinate, hair loss, absence or decrease of menstrual bleeding, changes in the breasts of men and women, such as milk secretion outside of breastfeeding or unusual breast enlargement, increased total bilirubin levels.
Rare side effects (which may affect up to 1 in 1000 patients):
thrombocytopenia, decreased body temperature, neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), withdrawal symptoms, heart rhythm disturbances, sudden death from an unknown cause, pancreatitis causing severe abdominal pain, fever, and nausea, liver disease characterized by a change in skin and white eye color to yellow, muscle disease characterized by unexplained muscle pain and weakness, prolonged and (or) painful erections.
The frequency of the following side effect is unknown: withdrawal syndrome in newborns.
In elderly patients with dementia treated with olanzapine, the following side effects may occur:
stroke, pneumonia, urinary incontinence, falls, extreme fatigue, visual hallucinations, elevated body temperature, skin redness, and difficulty walking. Several fatal cases have been reported in this patient group.
In patients with Parkinson's disease, taking Zolafren-swift may worsen the symptoms of the disease.

Reporting side effects

If you experience any side effects, including those not listed in this leaflet, you should tell your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. Side effects can be reported directly to the Department of Drug Adverse Reaction Monitoring of the Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products
Jerozolimskie Avenue 181C
02-222 Warsaw
Phone: +48 22 49 21 301
Fax: +48 22 49 21 309
Website: https://smz.ezdrowie.gov.pl
Side effects can also be reported to the marketing authorization holder.
By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. How to store Zolafren-swift

The medicine should be stored out of sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date stated on the packaging .
Store in the original packaging to protect from moisture.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. You should ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines that are no longer needed. This will help protect the environment.

6. Contents of the packaging and other information

What Zolafren-swift contains

• The active substance is olanzapine. Each Zolafren-swift orally disintegrating tablet contains 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, or 20 mg of the active substance. Detailed information on the active substance content can be found on the packaging of Zolafren-swift.
• Other ingredients of the medicine are: mannitol, aspartame, crospovidone, orange flavor and aroma enhancer (contains, among others, benzyl alcohol), colloidal anhydrous silica, sodium stearylfumarate.

What Zolafren-swift looks like and what the packaging contains

Zolafren-swift, 5 mg: orally disintegrating tablets are yellow, round, flat, with the inscription "5" on one side.
The packaging contains 28, 84, or 112 orally disintegrating tablets.
Zolafren-swift, 10 mg, orally disintegrating tablets are yellow, round, flat, with the inscription "10" on one side.
The packaging contains 28, 84, or 112 orally disintegrating tablets.
Zolafren-swift, 15 mg, orally disintegrating tablets are yellow, round, flat, with the inscription "15" on one side.
The packaging contains 28, 84, or 112 orally disintegrating tablets.
Zolafren-swift, 20 mg, orally disintegrating tablets are yellow, round, flat, with the inscription "20" on one side.
The packaging contains 28, 84, or 112 orally disintegrating tablets.

Marketing authorization holder

Adamed Pharma S.A.
Pieńków, M. Adamkiewicza 6A
05-152 Czosnów
Phone: +48 22 732 77 00

Manufacturer

Adamed Pharma S.A.
Pieńków, M. Adamkiewicza 6A
05-152 Czosnów

Date of last revision of the leaflet: