austedo xr

Important safety information

QT Prolongation: Avoid use in patients with congenital long QT syndrome or with arrhythmias associated with a prolonged QT interval ( 5.3 ) Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS): Discontinue if this occurs ( 5.4 ) Akathisia, agitation, restlessness, and parkinsonism: Reduce dose or discontinue if this occurs ( 5.5 , 5.6 ) Sedation/somnolence: May impair the patient’s ability to drive or operate complex machinery ( 5.7 ) 5.1 Depression and Suicidality in Patients with Huntington’s Disease Patients with Huntington’s disease are at increased risk for depression, and suicidal ideation or behaviors (suicidality). AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO may increase the risk for suicidality in patients with Huntington’s disease. In a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, suicidal ideation was reported by 2% of patients treated with AUSTEDO, compared to no patients on placebo; no suicide attempts and no completed suicides were reported. Depression was reported by 4% of patients treated with AUSTEDO. When considering the use of AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO, the risk of suicidality should be balanced against the need for treatment of chorea. All patients treated with AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO should be observed for new or worsening depression or suicidality. If depression or suicidality does not resolve, consider discontinuing treatment with AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO. Patients, their caregivers, and families should be informed of the risks of depression, worsening depression, and suicidality associated with AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO, and should be instructed to report behaviors of concern promptly to the treating physician. Patients with Huntington’s disease who express suicidal ideation should be evaluated immediately. 5.2 Clinical Worsening and Adverse Events in Patients with Huntington’s Disease Huntington’s disease is a progressive disorder characterized by changes in mood, cognition, chorea, rigidity, and functional capacity over time. VMAT2 inhibitors, including AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO, may cause a worsening in mood, cognition, rigidity, and functional capacity. Prescribers should periodically re-evaluate the need for AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO in their patients by assessing the effect on chorea and possible adverse effects, including sedation/somnolence, depression and suicidality, parkinsonism, akathisia, restlessness, and cognitive decline. It may be difficult to distinguish between adverse reactions and progression of the underlying disease; decreasing the dose or stopping the drug may help the clinician to distinguish between the two possibilities. In some patients, the underlying chorea itself may improve over time, decreasing the need for AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO. 5.3 QTc Prolongation AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO may prolong the QT interval, but the degree of QT prolongation is not clinically significant when AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO is administered within the recommended dosage range [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)] . AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO should be avoided in patients with congenital long QT syndrome and in patients with a history of cardiac arrhythmias. Certain circumstances may increase the risk of the occurrence of torsade de pointes and/or sudden death in association with the use of drugs that prolong the QTc interval, including (1) bradycardia; (2) hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia; (3) concomitant use of other drugs that prolong the QTc interval; and (4) presence of congenital prolongation of the QT interval. 5.4 Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) A potentially fatal symptom complex sometimes referred to as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) has been reported in association with drugs that reduce dopaminergic transmission. While NMS has not been observed in patients receiving AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO, it has been observed in patients receiving tetrabenazine (a closely related VMAT2 inhibitor). Clinicians should be alerted to the signs and symptoms associated with NMS. Clinical manifestations of NMS are hyperpyrexia, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and evidence of autonomic instability (irregular pulse or blood pressure, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and cardiac dysrhythmia). Additional signs may include elevated creatinine phosphokinase, myoglobinuria, rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal failure. The diagnosis of NMS can be complicated; other serious medical illness (e.g., pneumonia, systemic infection) and untreated or inadequately treated extrapyramidal disorders can present with similar signs and symptoms. Other important considerations in the differential diagnosis include central anticholinergic toxicity, heat stroke, drug fever, and primary central nervous system pathology. The management of NMS should include (1) immediate discontinuation of AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO; (2) intensive symptomatic treatment and medical monitoring; and (3) treatment of any concomitant serious medical problems for which specific treatments are available. There is no general agreement about specific pharmacological treatment regimens for NMS. Recurrence of NMS has been reported with resumption of drug therapy. If treatment with AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO is needed after recovery from NMS, patients should be monitored for signs of recurrence. 5.5 Akathisia, Agitation, and Restlessness AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO may increase the risk of akathisia, agitation, and restlessness in patients with Huntington’s disease and tardive dyskinesia. In a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients with Huntington’s disease, akathisia, agitation, or restlessness was reported by 4% of patients treated with AUSTEDO, compared to 2% of patients on placebo; in patients with tardive dyskinesia, 2% of patients treated with AUSTEDO and 1% of patients on placebo experienced these events. Patients receiving AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO should be monitored for signs and symptoms of restlessness and agitation, as these may be indicators of developing akathisia. If a patient develops akathisia during treatment with AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO, the AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO dose should be reduced; some patients may require discontinuation of therapy. 5.6 Parkinsonism AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO may cause parkinsonism in patients with Huntington’s disease or tardive dyskinesia. Parkinsonism has also been observed with other VMAT2 inhibitors. Because rigidity can develop as part of the underlying disease process in Huntington’s disease, it may be difficult to distinguish between potential drug-induced parkinsonism and progression of underlying Huntington’s disease. Drug-induced parkinsonism has the potential to cause more functional disability than untreated chorea for some patients with Huntington’s disease. Postmarketing cases of parkinsonism in patients treated with AUSTEDO for tardive dyskinesia have been reported. Signs and symptoms in reported cases have included bradykinesia, gait disturbances, which led to falls in some cases, and the emergence or worsening of tremor. In most cases, the development of parkinsonism occurred within the first two weeks after starting or increasing the dose of AUSTEDO. In cases in which follow-up clinical information was available, parkinsonism was reported to resolve following discontinuation of AUSTEDO therapy. If a patient develops parkinsonism during treatment with AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO, the AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO dose should be reduced; some patients may require discontinuation of therapy. 5.7 Sedation and Somnolence Sedation is a common dose-limiting adverse reaction of AUSTEDO XR and AUSTEDO. In a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examining patients with Huntington’s disease, 11% of AUSTEDO-treated patients reported somnolence compared with 4% of patients on placebo and 9% of AUSTEDO-treated patients reported fatigue compared with 4% of placebo-treated patients. Patients should not perform activities requiring mental alertness to maintain the safety of themselves or others, such as operating a motor vehicle or operating hazardous machinery, until they are on a maintenance dose of AUSTEDO…