OLANZAPINE ALTER 5 mg FILM-COATED TABLETS

Introduction

Patient Information Leaflet

Olanzapine Alter 2.5 mg film-coated tablets EFG

Olanzapine Alter 5 mg film-coated tablets EFG

Olanzapine Alter 10 mg film-coated tablets EFG

Olanzapine

Read the entire leaflet carefully before starting to take this medication, as it contains important information for you.

• Keep this leaflet, as you may need to read it again.
• If you have any doubts, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medication has been prescribed to you only, and you should not give it to others, even if they have the same symptoms as you, as it may harm them.
• If you experience side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if they are not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

Contents of the leaflet

1. What Olanzapine Alter is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before taking Olanzapine Alter
3. How to take Olanzapine Alter
4. Possible side effects
5. Storage of Olanzapine Alter
6. Package contents and additional information

1. What Olanzapine Alter is and what it is used for

Olanzapine Alter contains the active substance olanzapine. Olanzapine belongs to a group of medications called antipsychotics and is indicated for the treatment of the following diseases:

• Schizophrenia, a disease whose symptoms are hearing, seeing, or feeling unreal things, mistaken beliefs, unusual suspicion, and becoming withdrawn. People suffering from these diseases may also be depressed, anxious, or tense.
• Moderate to severe manic disorder, characterized by symptoms such as excitement or euphoria.

Olanzapine has been shown to prevent the recurrence of these symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder whose manic episodes have responded to olanzapine treatment.

2. What you need to know before taking Olanzapine Alter

Do not take Olanzapine Alter

• If you are allergic to olanzapine or any of the other components of this medication (listed in section 6). The allergic reaction may manifest as a rash, itching, swelling of the face or lips, or difficulty breathing. If this happens to you, tell your doctor.
• If you have previously been diagnosed with eye problems such as certain types of glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye).

Warnings and precautions

Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take this medication.

• Olanzapine is not recommended for use in elderly patients with dementia, as it may have serious side effects.
• Medications of this type can cause unusual movements, especially in the face or tongue. If this happens to you after taking olanzapine, tell your doctor.
• In very rare cases, medications of this type can produce a combination of fever, rapid breathing, sweating, muscle stiffness, and a state of confusion or drowsiness. If this happens to you, contact your doctor immediately.
• A weight gain has been observed in patients taking olanzapine. You and your doctor should check your weight regularly. If necessary, your doctor can help you plan a diet or consider referring you to a nutritionist.
• High levels of sugar and fat (triglycerides and cholesterol) have been observed in the blood of patients taking olanzapine. Your doctor should perform blood tests to check your blood sugar and fat levels before you start taking olanzapine and regularly during treatment.
• If you or a family member has a history of blood clots, consult your doctor, as medications of this type have been associated with the formation of blood clots.

If you suffer from any of the following diseases, inform your doctor as soon as possible:

• Stroke or transient cerebral ischemia (transient stroke symptoms)
• Parkinson's disease
• Prostate problems
• Intestinal obstruction (paralytic ileus)
• Liver or kidney disease
• Blood disorders
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Seizures
• If you think you may have salt loss due to prolonged and intense diarrhea and vomiting or the use of diuretic medications (urination tablets).

If you suffer from dementia, you or your caregiver or family member should inform your doctor if you have ever had a stroke or cerebral ischemia.

As a routine precaution, if you are over 65 years old, it is advisable for your doctor to check your blood pressure.

Children and adolescents

Patients under 18 years old should not take olanzapine.

Taking Olanzapine Alter with other medications

Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or may need to take any other medication. Only take other medications at the same time as olanzapine if your doctor authorizes it. You may feel drowsy if you combine olanzapine with antidepressants or medications for anxiety or sleep aids (tranquilizers).

In particular, tell your doctor if you are taking:

• Medication for Parkinson's disease.
• Carbamazepine (an antiepileptic and mood stabilizer), fluvoxamine (an antidepressant), or ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic). Your dose of olanzapine may need to be changed.

Taking Olanzapine Alter with alcohol

You should not drink alcohol if you are being administered olanzapine, as it may cause drowsiness.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor before using this medication. You should not take this medication while breastfeeding, as small amounts of olanzapine may pass into breast milk. Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medication.

The following symptoms may occur in newborns of mothers who have used olanzapine in the last trimester (last three months of pregnancy): tremors, muscle stiffness and/or weakness, drowsiness, agitation, respiratory problems, and difficulty feeding. If your baby has any of these symptoms, contact your doctor.

Driving and using machines

There is a risk of drowsiness when taking olanzapine. If this happens to you, do not drive vehicles or use machinery. Consult your doctor.

Olanzapine Alter contains lactose

This medication contains lactose. If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to certain sugars, consult with them before taking this medication.

3. How to take Olanzapine Alter

Follow your doctor's instructions for taking this medication exactly. If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

Your doctor will tell you how many olanzapine tablets to take and for how long. The daily dose of olanzapine ranges from 5 to 20 mg. Consult your doctor if you experience symptoms again, but do not stop taking olanzapine unless your doctor tells you to.

You should take your olanzapine tablets once a day, following your doctor's instructions. Try to take the tablets at the same time every day. You can take them with or without food. Olanzapine film-coated tablets are for oral administration. You should swallow the tablets whole with water.

If you take more Olanzapine Alter than you should

Patients who have taken more olanzapine than they should have experienced the following symptoms: rapid heartbeat, agitation/aggression, speech problems, unusual movements (especially of the face and tongue), and a reduced level of consciousness. Other symptoms may include: acute confusion, seizures (epilepsy), coma, a combination of fever, rapid breathing, sweating, muscle stiffness, and a state of confusion or drowsiness, slowing of respiratory rate, aspiration, increased or decreased blood pressure, and abnormal heart rhythms. Contact your doctor or go to the hospital immediately if you notice any of the above symptoms. Show the doctor the package with the tablets.

In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service, phone 91 562 04 20, indicating the medication and the amount ingested.

If you forget to take Olanzapine Alter

Take your tablets as soon as you remember. Do not take a double dose to make up for forgotten doses.

If you stop taking Olanzapine Alter

Do not stop treatment just because you feel better. It is very important that you continue taking this medication while your doctor tells you to.

If you stop taking olanzapine suddenly, you may experience symptoms such as sweating, insomnia, tremors, anxiety, or nausea and vomiting. Your doctor may suggest that you gradually reduce the dose before stopping treatment.

If you have any other doubts about the use of this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medications, this medication can cause side effects, although not everyone experiences them.

Contact your doctor immediately if you have:

• unusual movements (a frequent side effect that can affect up to 1 in 10 people), especially of the face or tongue;
• blood clots in the veins (an uncommon side effect that can affect up to 1 in 100 people), especially in the legs (symptoms include swelling, pain, and redness in the leg), which can travel through the blood to the lungs, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing. If you experience any of these symptoms, go to the doctor immediately;
• a combination of fever, rapid breathing, sweating, muscle stiffness, and a state of confusion or drowsiness (the frequency cannot be estimated from the available data).

Very common side effects (which can affect more than 1 in 10 people) include weight gain; drowsiness; and increased prolactin levels in the blood. In the early stages of treatment, some people may feel dizzy or faint (with slower heartbeats), especially when getting up from a lying or sitting position. This sensation usually disappears on its own, but if it does not, consult your doctor.

Common side effects (which can affect up to 1 in 10 people) include changes in the levels of certain blood cells, circulating lipids, and temporary increases in liver enzymes at the start of treatment; increased blood sugar and urine levels; increased uric acid and creatine phosphokinase levels in the blood; increased appetite; dizziness; agitation; tremors; unusual movements (dyskinesia); constipation; dry mouth; skin rash; loss of strength; excessive fatigue; fluid retention that causes swelling of the hands, ankles, or feet; fever; joint pain; and sexual dysfunction such as decreased libido in men and women or erectile dysfunction in men.

Uncommon side effects (which can affect up to 1 in 100 people) include hypersensitivity (e.g., inflammation of the mouth and throat, itching, skin rash); diabetes or worsening of diabetes, occasionally related to ketoacidosis (acetone in blood and urine) or coma; seizures, most often related to a history of seizures (epilepsy); muscle stiffness or spasms (including eye movements); restless legs syndrome; speech problems; stuttering; slow pulse; sensitivity to sunlight; nosebleeds; abdominal distension; excessive salivation; memory loss or forgetfulness; urinary incontinence; loss of urination ability; hair loss; absence or decrease of menstrual periods; and changes in the breast gland in men and women, such as abnormal milk production or abnormal growth.

Rare side effects (which can affect up to 1 in 1,000 people) include a drop in normal body temperature; abnormal heart rhythm; sudden unexplained death; pancreatitis, which causes severe stomach pain, fever, and discomfort; liver disease, with yellowing of the skin and the white parts of the eyes; and muscle disorder that presents as unexplained pain and prolonged and/or painful erections.

Very rare side effects (which can affect up to 1 in 10,000 people) include severe allergic reactions such as drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). Initially, DRESS manifests with flu-like symptoms with a rash on the face and later with a widespread rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, elevated liver enzymes observed in blood tests, and an increase in a type of white blood cell in the blood (eosinophilia).

During treatment with olanzapine, elderly patients with dementia may experience stroke, pneumonia, urinary incontinence, falls, extreme fatigue, visual hallucinations, a rise in body temperature, skin redness, and walking problems. Some deaths have been reported in this particular group of patients.

Olanzapine may worsen symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Reporting of side effects

If you experience any side effects, consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse, even if they are not listed in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the Spanish Medication Surveillance System for Human Use: https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medication.

5. Storage of Olanzapine Alter

Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not store above 25°C. Store in the original packaging.

Do not use this medication after the expiration date shown on the package after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.

Medications should not be disposed of through wastewater or household waste. Deposit the packaging and medications you no longer need at the SIGRE collection point in the pharmacy. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medications you no longer need. This will help protect the environment.

6. Package contents and additional information

Composition of Olanzapine Alter

• The active substance is olanzapine. Each tablet contains 2.5 mg; 5 mg; 10 mg of olanzapine. The exact amount is shown on the medication packaging.
• The other components are:

Core of the tablet: lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose (E460i), sodium carboxymethyl starch (Type A) (potato), and magnesium stearate.

Coating of the tablet: macrogol 6000, sepifilm LP-761 white (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid, and titanium dioxide).

Appearance of the product and package contents

Olanzapine Alter 2.5 mg: film-coated tablets, white, and round.

They are available in packages of 28 tablets.

Olanzapine Alter 5 mg: film-coated tablets, white, lens-shaped, without scoring, approximately 8.2 mm in diameter, and with the inscription "5" on one of their faces.

They are available in packages of 28 tablets.

Olanzapine Alter 10 mg: film-coated tablets, white, lens-shaped, without scoring, approximately 11.2 mm in diameter, and with the inscription "10" on one of their faces.

They are available in packages of 28 and 56 tablets.

Not all package sizes may be marketed.

Marketing authorization holder and manufacturer

Laboratorios Alter, S.A.

C/ Mateo Inurria, 30

28036 Madrid

Spain

or

Laboratorios Alter, S.A.

C/ Zeus, 6

Polígono Industrial R2

28880 Meco (Madrid)

Spain

Date of the last revision of this leaflet:May 2020.

Detailed and updated information on this medication is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es/