Mirtazapine

By Medicover Hospitals / 18 Feb 2021
Home | Medicine | Mirtazapine

Mirtazapine works as an antidepressant. It comes as an oral instant-release tablet or a tablet that disintegrates (dissolves) orally. As the brand-name drugs Remeron (immediate-release tablet) and Remeron soltab are available, Mirtazapine (orally disintegrating tablet). Both forms are available as generic medicines as well. The medication helps in treating major depressive disorder.

1. Mirtazapine Uses
2. Side effects
3. Precautions
4. Dosage
5. Warnings
6. Storage
7. Mirtazapine vs Sertraline
8. FAQ's

Uses:

Mirtazapine is used for the treatment of depression. The medication helps in improving mood and feelings of well-being. Mirtazapine is an antidepressant which works by restoring the balance of natural chemicals in the brain

Mirtazapine Side effects:

Some of the common side effects of Mirtazapine are:

• Sleepiness
• Increased appetite
• Weight gain
• Dry mouth
• Constipation
• Dizziness

Some of the serious side effects of Mirtazapine are:

• Trouble in sleeping
• Aggressive or Violent thoughts
• Mood swings
• Reckless behaviour
• Fever
• Chills
• Sore throat
• Agitation
• Hallucinations
• Irregular heartbeat
• High blood pressure
• Nausea
• Vomiting

If you have any of these serious symptoms immediately contact your doctor for further assistance. In any case, due to Mirtazapine if you get any kind of reactions in your body try avoiding it.

A doctor advised you to take the medicines by seeing your problems and the benefits of this medicine are greater than the side effects. Majority of the people who use this medicine don’t show any side effects. Get medical help immediately if you get any serious Mirtazapine side effects.

Precautions:

Before taking Mirtazapine talk with your doctor if you are allergic to it or any other medications. The product may contain some inactive ingredients which can cause some serious allergic reactions or some other problems.

Before taking Mirtazapine, talk with your doctor if you are having any medical history such as:

• Psychiatric disorders
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease
• Seizures
• High blood cholesterol
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Severe loss of body fluids
• Low blood pressure

Mirtazapine can cause some serious conditions which can affect the heart rhythm i.e. QT prolongation. QT prolongation will rarely cause some serious and irregular heartbeat which can need medical attention.

How to take Mirtazapine?

Mirtazapine comes as a tablet that can be taken by mouth and as a disintegrating tablet. It is normally taken at bedtime, once a day. Mirtazapine tablets can be taken with or without food. Open the dry-handed blister pack to take a mirtazapine disintegrating tablet and put the tablet on your tongue. On the tongue, the tablet may disintegrate and could be swallowed with saliva. To swallow the disintegrating tablets, no water is needed. It cannot be kept until the tablet is extracted from the blister pack. Do not break the disintegrating tablets of mirtazapine.

Dosage Forms and Strengths

Generic: Mirtazapine

• Form: oral immediate-release tablet ( 7.5 mg, 15 mg, 30 mg, 45 mg)
• Form: orally disintegrating tablet (15 mg, 30 mg, 45 mg)

Brand: Remeron

• Form: oral immediate-release tablet (15 mg, 30 mg, 45 mg)

Brand: Remeron SolTab

• Form: orally disintegrating tablet (15 mg, 30 mg, 45 mg)

Dosage for Depression

Starting dosage: 15 mg should be taken once per day

Dosage increases: After seeing the improvements the doctor will slowly increase the dosage every 1-2 weeks.

Missed Dose:

Missing one or two-dose of Mirtazapine won’t show any effect on your body. The skipped dose causes no problem. But with some medication, it won’t work if you don’t take the dosage on time. If you miss a dose some sudden chemical change may affect your body. In some cases, your doctor would advise you to take the prescribed medicine as soon as possible if you have missed the dose.

Overdose:

Overdose of a drug can be accidental. If you have taken more than the prescribed Mirtazapine tablets there is a chance of getting a harmful effect on your body’s functions. Overdose of a medicine can lead to some medical emergency.

Allergy Warnings:

• Trouble breathing
• Swelling of the face, tongue, eyes and mouth
• Severe rash with swelling
• Painful reddening of the skin
• Itchy welts

Warning for People with Certain Health Conditions

For people with a history of Mania or Bipolar disorder:

Speak to your doctor to find out if this prescription is suitable for you. Mirtazapine can cause an episode that is mixed or psychotic.

For people with Seizures:

Speak to your doctor to find out if this prescription is suitable for you. The condition can be made worse by this medicine. Speak to your physician if you have a seizure while taking mirtazapine. If you should stop taking it, they will decide. You may need to stop taking this medication right away or to prevent withdrawal effects, the dose may slowly be reduced over time.

For people with Heart Problems:

Speak to the doctor if you have a history of such heart attacks as to whether this medicine is appropriate for you. Angina (chest pain), heart attack, or stroke are among these heart issues. Low blood pressure can be caused by mirtazapine, which can make heart attacks worse.

For people with Glaucoma or Eye problems:

If you have kidney issues or a history of kidney failure, you will not be able to get your body off this medicine properly. This will increase the body's mirtazapine content and cause further side effects.

For women who are breastfeeding:

For a child who is breastfed, Mirtazapine can transfer into breast milk and can cause side effects. If you're breastfeeding your kid, speak to your doctor. If you want to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this drug, you will need to decide.

Storage:

Direct contact with heat, air and light may damage your medicines. The exposure of medicine may cause some harmful effects. The medicine must be kept in a safe place and out of children’s reach.

Mainly the drug should be kept at room temperature between 68ºF and 77ºF (20ºC and 25ºC).

Before taking Mirtazapine consult your Doctor. In case you face any problems or get any side effects after taking Mirtazapine, rush immediately to your nearby hospital or consult your doctor for better treatment. Carry your medications always in your bag while travelling to avoid any immediate emergencies. Follow your prescription and follow your Doctor advice whenever you take Mirtazapine.

Mirtazapine vs Sertraline

Mirtazapine	Sertraline
Mirtazapine works as an antidepressant. It comes as an oral instant-release tablet or a tablet that disintegrates (dissolves) orally.	Sertraline is an antidepressant which belongs to the group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. It affects the chemical in the brain which can be unbalanced in people with depression, panic and anxiety.
Mirtazapine is used for the treatment of depression. The medication helps in improving mood and feelings of well-being.	Sertraline can improve the mood, sleep, appetite and energy level. The medication also helps in decreasing the fear, anxiety and the number of panic attacks.
Some of the common side effects of Mirtazapine are: -Sleepiness -Increased appetite -Weight gain -Dry mouth -Constipation	Some of the serious side effects of Sertraline are: -Seizure -Blurred - vision -Headache