lurasidone hydrochloride

Important safety information

Cerebrovascular Adverse Reactions in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis: Increased incidence of cerebrovascular adverse events (e.g., stroke, transient ischemic attack) ( 5.3 ). • Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome: Manage with immediate discontinuation and close monitoring ( 5.4 ). • Tardive Dyskinesia: Discontinue if clinically appropriate ( 5.5 ). • Metabolic Changes: Monitor for hyperglycemia/diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and weight gain ( 5.6 ). • Hyperprolactinemia: Prolactin elevations may occur ( 5.7 ). • Leukopenia, Neutropenia, and Agranulocytosis: Perform complete blood counts (CBC) in patients with a pre-existing low white blood cell count (WBC) or a history of leukopenia or neutropenia. Consider discontinuing lurasidone hydrochloride if a clinically significant decline in WBC occurs in the absence of other causative factors ( 5.8 ). • Orthostatic Hypotension and Syncope: Monitor heart rate and blood pressure and warn patients with known cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, and risk of dehydration or syncope ( 5.9 ). 5.1 Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. Analyses of 17 placebo-controlled trials (modal duration of 10 weeks), largely in patients taking atypical antipsychotic drugs, revealed a risk of death in drug-treated patients of between 1.6- to 1.7-times the risk of death in placebo-treated patients. Over the course of a typical 10-week controlled trial, the rate of death in drug-treated patients was about 4.5%, compared to a rate of about 2.6% in the placebo group. Although the causes of death were varied, most of the deaths appeared to be either cardiovascular (e.g., heart failure, sudden death) or infectious (e.g., pneumonia) in nature. Lurasidone hydrochloride is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis [see Boxed Warning, Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )]. 5.2 Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Pediatric and Young Adult Patients In pooled analyses of placebo-controlled trials of antidepressant drugs (SSRIs and other antidepressant classes) that included approximately 77,000 adult patients, and over 4,400 pediatric patients, the incidence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in pediatric and young adult patients was greater in antidepressant-treated patients than in placebo-treated patients. The drug-placebo differences in the number of cases of suicidal thoughts and behaviors per 1000 patients treated are provided in Table 2. No suicides occurred in any of the pediatric studies. There were suicides in the adult studies, but the number was not sufficient to reach any conclusion about antidepressant drug effect on suicide. Table 2: Risk Differences of the Number of Cases of Suicidal Thoughts or Behaviors in the Pooled Placebo-Controlled Trials of Antidepressants in Pediatric and Adult Patients Age Range Drug-Placebo Difference in Number of Patients of Suicidal Thoughts or Behaviors per 1000 Patients Treated Increases Compared to Placebo <18 14 additional patients 18-24 5 additional patients Decreases Compared to Placebo 25-64 1 fewer patient ≥65 6 fewer patients It is unknown whether the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in pediatric and young adult patients extends to longer-term use, i.e., beyond four months. However, there is substantial evidence from placebo-controlled maintenance studies in adults with MDD that antidepressants delay the recurrence of depression. Monitor all antidepressant-treated patients for clinical worsening and emergence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, especially during the initial few months of drug therapy and at times of dosage changes. Counsel family members or caregivers of patients to monitor for changes in behavior and to alert the healthcare provider. Consider changing the therapeutic regimen, including possibly discontinuing lurasidone hydrochloride, in patients whose depression is persistently worse, or who are experiencing emergent suicidal thoughts or behaviors. 5.3 Cerebrovascular Adverse Reactions, Including Stroke in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis In placebo-controlled trials with risperidone, aripiprazole, and olanzapine in elderly subjects with dementia, there was a higher incidence of cerebrovascular adverse reactions (cerebrovascular accidents and transient ischemic attacks), including fatalities, compared to placebo-treated subjects. Lurasidone hydrochloride is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis [see Boxed Warning, Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )]. 5.4 Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome A potentially fatal symptom complex sometimes referred to as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) has been reported in association with administration of antipsychotic drugs, including lurasidone hydrochloride. Clinical manifestations of NMS are hyperpyrexia, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and evidence of autonomic instability. Additional signs may include elevated creatine phosphokinase, myoglobinuria (rhabdomyolysis), and acute renal failure. If NMS is suspected, immediately discontinue lurasidone hydrochloride and provide intensive symptomatic treatment and monitoring. 5.5 Tardive Dyskinesia Tardive dyskinesia is a syndrome consisting of potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements that can develop in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs. Although the prevalence of the syndrome appears to be highest among the elderly, especially elderly women, it is impossible to rely upon prevalence estimates to predict, at the inception of antipsychotic treatment, which patients are likely to develop the syndrome. Whether antipsychotic drug products differ in their potential to cause tardive dyskinesia is unknown. The risk of developing tardive dyskinesia and the likelihood that it will become irreversible are believed to increase as the duration of treatment and the total cumulative dose of antipsychotic drugs administered to the patient increase. However, the syndrome can develop, although much less commonly, after relatively brief treatment periods at low doses or may even arise after discontinuation of treatment. The syndrome may remit, partially or completely, if antipsychotic treatment is withdrawn. Antipsychotic treatment, itself, however, may suppress (or partially suppress) the signs and symptoms of the syndrome and thereby may possibly mask the underlying process. The effect that symptomatic suppression has upon the long-term course of the syndrome is unknown. Given these considerations, lurasidone hydrochloride should be prescribed in a manner that is most likely to minimize the occurrence of tardive dyskinesia. Chronic antipsychotic treatment should generally be reserved for patients who suffer from a chronic illness that (1) is known to respond to antipsychotic drugs, and (2) for whom alternative, equally effective, but potentially less harmful treatments are not available or appropriate. In patients who do require chronic treatment, the smallest dose and the shortest duration of treatment producing a satisfactory clinical response should be sought. The need for continued treatment should be reassessed periodically. If signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear in a patient on lurasidone hydrochloride, drug discontinuation should be considered. However, some patients may require treatment with lurasidone hydrochloride despite the presence of the syndrome. 5.6 Metabolic Changes Atypical antipsychotic drugs have been associated with metabolic changes that may increase cardiovascular/cerebrovascular risk. These metabolic changes include hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and body weight gain. While all of the drugs in the class have been shown to produce some metabolic changes, each drug has its own specific risk profile. Hyperglycemia and Diabetes Mellitus Hyperglycemia, in some cases extreme and associated…