Loxapine (Systemic)

Brand Names : Loxitane, Loxitane C, Loxitane IM, Loxapac

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For loxapine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to loxapine or amoxapine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Loxapine has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in humans. However, animal studies have shown unwanted effects in the fetus.

Breast-feeding - It is not known if loxapine passes into breast milk.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of loxapine in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Elderly patients are usually more sensitive than younger adults to the effects of loxapine. Constipation, dizziness or fainting, drowsiness, dry mouth, trembling of the hands and fingers, and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia (such as rapid, worm-like movements of the tongue or any other uncontrolled movements of the mouth, tongue, or jaw, and/or arms and legs) are especially likely to occur in elderly patients.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases 2 different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking loxapine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amoxapine (e.g., Asendin) or
• Methyldopa (e.g., Aldomet) or
• Metoclopramide (e.g., Reglan) or
• Metyrosine (e.g., Demser) or
• Other antipsychotics (medicine for mental illness) or
• Pemoline (e.g., Cylert) or
• Pimozide (e.g., Orap) or
• Promethazine (e.g., Phenergan) or
• Rauwolfia alkaloids (alseroxylon [e.g., Rauwiloid], deserpidine [e.g., Harmonyl], rauwolfia serpentina [e.g., Raudixin], reserpine [e.g., Serpasil]) or
• Trimeprazine (e.g., Temaril) - Taking these medicines with loxapine may increase the chance and seriousness of some side effects

• Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicine that causes drowsiness) or
• Tricyclic antidepressants (medicine for depression) - Taking these medicines with loxapine may increase the CNS depressant effects

• Guanadrel (e.g., Hylorel) or
• Guanethidine (e.g., Ismelin) - Loxapine may decrease the effects of these medicines

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of loxapine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Alcohol abuse - CNS depressant effects may be increased

• Difficult urination or
• Enlarged prostate or
• Glaucoma (or predisposition to) or
• Parkinson's disease - Loxapine may make the condition worse

• Heart or blood vessel disease - An increased risk of low blood pressure (hypotension) or changes in the rhythm of your heart may occur

• Liver disease - Higher blood levels of loxapine may occur, increasing the chance of side effects

• Seizure disorders - Loxapine may increase the risk of seizures