Severe Quetiapine Withdrawal Syndrome with Nausea and Vomiting in a 65-year-old Patient with Psychotic Depression

• Published in: Therapie Vol. 70; no. 6; p. 537
• Main Author: Koch, Horst J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France 01.11.2015
• Subjects: Affective Disorders, Psychotic - drug therapy; Aged; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Antiemetics - pharmacology; Antiemetics - therapeutic use; Antipsychotic Agents - administration & dosage; Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects; Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use; Area Postrema - drug effects; Depressive Disorder - drug therapy; Domperidone - pharmacology; Domperidone - therapeutic use; Dopamine Antagonists - pharmacology; Dopamine Antagonists - therapeutic use; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Lithium Compounds - therapeutic use; Male; Nausea - chemically induced; Nausea - drug therapy; Nausea - physiopathology; Quetiapine Fumarate - administration & dosage; Quetiapine Fumarate - adverse effects; Quetiapine Fumarate - therapeutic use; Receptors, Dopamine D2 - drug effects; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - drug therapy; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - etiology; Venlafaxine Hydrochloride - therapeutic use; Vomiting - chemically induced; Vomiting - drug therapy; Vomiting - physiopathology
• ISSN: 0040-5957
• DOI: 10.2515/therapie/2015036

A 65-year old patient suffering from severe psychotic depression obtained quetiapine for roughly one year. Several attempts to discontinue quetiapine by tapering the dose provoked severe withdrawal symptoms with nausea and vomitus. Pretreatment with domperidone largely prevented withdrawal so that he finally could successfully discontinue quetiapine administration.