Olanzapine
Also sold as: Zyprexa, Lybalvi, Symbyax
Related Medications
These drugs share a pharmacologic classification but are NOT interchangeable. Listing here does not imply clinical equivalence. A physician must evaluate each drug individually for the patient's specific condition.
Classification: Atypical Antipsychotic (source: RxClass/NLM)
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- clozapineAtypical AntipsychoticSame Class
- risperidoneAtypical AntipsychoticSame Class
- quetiapineAtypical AntipsychoticSame Class
- paliperidoneAtypical AntipsychoticSame Class
- iloperidoneAtypical AntipsychoticSame Class
- asenapineAtypical AntipsychoticSame Class
- aripiprazoleAtypical AntipsychoticSame Class
Insurance Coverage User-Reported
No community coverage data yet for olanzapine.
Coverage data submission coming soon.
Drug Information
Mechanism of Action
12.1 Mechanism of Action The mechanism of action of olanzapine, in the listed indications is unclear. However, the efficacy of olanzapine in schizophrenia could be mediated through a combination of dopamine and serotonin type 2 (5HT2) antagonism.
Indications & Uses
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic indicated: As oral formulation for the: Treatment of schizophrenia. ( 1.1 ) Adults: Efficacy was established in three clinical trials in patients with schizophrenia: two 6-week trials and one maintenance trial. ( 14.1 ) Adolescents (ages 13-17): Efficacy was established in one 6-week trial in patients with schizophrenia ( 14.1 ). The increased potential (in adolescents compared with adults) for weight gain and dyslipidemia may lead clinicians to consider prescribing other drugs first in adolescents. ( 1.1 ) Acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder and maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder. ( 1.2 ) Adults: Efficacy was established in three clinical trials in patients with manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder: two 3- to 4-week trials and one maintenance trial. ( 14.2 ) Adolescents (ages 13-17): Efficacy was established in one 3-week trial in patients with manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder ( 14.2 ). The increased potential (in adolescents compared with adults) for weight gain and dyslipidemia may lead clinicians to consider prescribing other drugs first in adolescents. ( 1.2 ) Medication therapy for pediatric patients with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder should be undertaken only after a thorough diagnostic evaluation and with careful consideration of the potential risks. ( 1.3 ) Adjunct to valproate or lithium in the treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. ( 1.2 ) Efficacy was established in two 6-week clinical trials in adults ( 14.2 ). Maintenance efficacy has not been systematically evaluated. As Olanzapine and Fluoxetine in Combination for the: Treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. ( 1.5 ) Efficacy was established with Symbyax (olanzapine and fluoxetine in combination); refer to the product label for Symbyax. Treatment of treatment resistant depression. ( 1.6
Dosage & Administration
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Schizophrenia in adults ( 2.1 ) Oral: Start at 5 mg to 10 mg once daily; Target: 10 mg/day within several days Schizophrenia in adolescents ( 2.1 ) Oral: Start at 2.5 mg to 5 mg once daily; Target: 10 mg/day Bipolar I Disorder (manic or mixed episodes) in adults ( 2.2 ) Oral: Start at 10 mg or 15 mg once daily Bipolar I Disorder (manic or mixed episodes) in adolescents ( 2.2 ) Oral: Start at 2.5 mg to 5 mg once daily; Target: 10 mg/day Bipolar I Disorder (manic or mixed episodes) with lithium or valproate in adults ( 2.2 ) Oral: Start at 10 mg once daily Depressive Episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder in adults ( 2.5 ) Oral in combination with fluoxetine: Start at 5 mg of oral olanzapine and 20 mg of fluoxetine once daily Depressive Episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder in children and adolescents ( 2.5 ) Oral in combination with fluoxetine: Start at 2.5 mg of oral olanzapine and 20 mg of fluoxetine once daily Treatment Resistant Depression in adults ( 2.6 ) Oral in combination with fluoxetine: Start at 5 mg of oral olanzapine and 20 mg of fluoxetine once daily Lower starting dose recommended in debilitated or pharmacodynamically sensitive patients or patients with predisposition to hypotensive reactions, or with potential for slowed metabolism. ( 2.1 ) Olanzapine may be given without regard to meals. ( 2.1 ) Olanzapine and Fluoxetine in Combination: Dosage adjustments, if indicated, should be made with the individual components according to efficacy and tolerability. ( 2.5 , 2.6 ) Olanzapine monotherapy is not indicated for the treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder or treatment resistant depression. ( 2.5 , 2.6 ) Safety of co-administration of doses above 18 mg olanzapine with 75 mg fluoxetine has not been evaluated in adults. ( 2.5 , 2.6 ) Safety of co-administration of doses above 12 mg olanzapine with 50 mg fluoxetine has not been evaluated in children and adolescents ages 10 to 17. ( 2.5 ) 2.1 Schizophrenia Adults Dose Selection — Oral olanzapine should be administered on a once-a-day schedule without regard to meals, generally beginning with 5 mg to 10 mg initially, with a target dose of 10 mg/day within several days. Further dosage adjustments, if indicated, should generally occur at intervals of not less than 1 week, since steady state for olanzapine would not be achieved for approximately 1 week in the typical patient. When dosage adjustments are necessary, dose increments/decrements of 5 mg QD are recommended. Efficacy in schizophrenia was demonstrated in a dose range of 10 mg/day to 15 mg/day in clinical trials. However, doses above 10 mg/day were not demonstrated to be more efficacious than the 10 mg/day dose. An increase to a dose greater than the target dose of 10 mg/day (i.e., to a dose of 15 mg/day or greater) is recommended only after clinical assessment. Olanzapine is not indicated for use in doses above 20 mg/day. Dosing in Special Populations — The recommended starting dose is 5 mg in patients who are debilitated, who have a predisposition to hypotensive reactions, who otherwise exhibit a combination of factors that may result in slower metabolism of olanzapine (e.g., nonsmoking female patients ≥65 years of age), or who may be more pharmacodynamically sensitive to olanzapine [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.14 ), Drug Interactions ( 7 ), and Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . When indicated, dose escalation should be performed with caution in these patients. Maintenance Treatment — The effectiveness of oral olanzapine, 10 mg/day to 20 mg/day, in maintaining treatment response in schizophrenic patients who had been stable on olanzapine for approximately 8 weeks and were then followed for relapse has been demonstrated in a placebo-controlled trial [see Clinical Studies ( 14.1 )] . The healthcare provider who elects to use olanzapine for extended periods should periodically reevaluate the long-term usefulness of the drug for the individual patient. Adolescents Dose Selection — Oral olanzapine should be administered on a once-a-day schedule without regard to meals with a recommended starting dose of 2.5 mg or 5 mg, with a target dose of 10 mg/day. Efficacy in adolescents with schizophrenia was demonstrated based on a flexible dose range of 2.5 mg/day to 20 mg/day in clinical trials, with a mean modal dose of 12.5 mg/day (mean dose of 11.1 mg/day). When dosage adjustments are necessary, dose increments/decrements of 2.5 mg or 5 mg are recommended. The safety and effectiveness of doses above 20 mg/day have not been evaluated in clinical trials [see Clinical Studies ( 14.1 )] . Maintenance Treatment — The efficacy of olanzapine for the maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in the adolescent population has not been systematically evaluated; however, maintenance efficacy can be extrapolated from adult data along with comparisons of olanzapine pharmacokinetic parameters in adult and adolescent patients. Thus, it is generally r
Side Effects (Adverse Reactions)
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS When using olanzapine and fluoxetine in combination, also refer to the Adverse Reactions section of the package insert for Symbyax. Most common adverse reactions (≥5% and at least twice that for placebo) associated with: Oral Olanzapine Monotherapy: Schizophrenia (Adults) – postural hypotension, constipation, weight gain, dizziness, personality disorder, akathisia ( 6.1 ) Schizophrenia (Adolescents) – sedation, weight increased, headache, increased appetite, dizziness, abdominal pain, pain in extremity, fatigue, dry mouth ( 6.1 ) Manic or Mixed Episodes, Bipolar I Disorder (Adults) – asthenia, dry mouth, constipation, increased appetite, somnolence, dizziness, tremor ( 6.1 ) Manic or Mixed Episodes, Bipolar I Disorder (Adolescents) – sedation, weight increased, increased appetite, headache, fatigue, dizziness, dry mouth, abdominal pain, pain in extremity ( 6.1 ) Combination of Olanzapine and Lithium or Valproate: Manic or Mixed Episodes, Bipolar I Disorder (Adults) – dry mouth, weight gain, increased appetite, dizziness, back pain, constipation, speech disorder, increased salivation, amnesia, paresthesia ( 6.1 ) Olanzapine and Fluoxetine in Combination: Also refer to the Adverse Reactions section of the package insert for Symbyax. ( 6 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Lannett Company, Inc. at 1-844-834-0530 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect or predict the rates observed in practice. Clinical Trials in Adults The information below for olanzapine is derived from a clinical trial database for olanzapine consisting of 10,504 adult patients with approximately 4765 patient-years of exposure to olanzapine plus 722 patients with exposure to intramuscular olanzapine for injection. This database includes: (1) 2500 patients who participated in multiple-dose oral olanzapine premarketing trials in schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease representing approximately 1122 patient-years of exposure as of February 14, 1995; (2) 182 patients who participated in oral olanzapine premarketing bipolar I disorder (manic or mixed episodes) trials representing approximately 66 patient-years of exposure; (3) 191 patients who participated in an oral olanzapine trial of patients having various psychiatric symptoms in association with Alzheimer's disease representing approximately 29 patient-years of exposure; (4)5788 additional patients from 88 oral olanzapine clinical trials as of December 31, 2001; (5) 1843 additional patients from 41 olanzapine clinical trials as of October 31, 2011; and (6) 722 patients who participated in intramuscular olanzapine for injection premarketing trials in agitated patients with schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder (manic or mixed episodes), or dementia. Also included below is information from the premarketing 6-week clinical study database for olanzapine in combination with lithium or valproate, consisting of 224 patients who participated in bipolar I disorder (manic or mixed episodes) trials with approximately 22 patient-years of exposure. The conditions and duration of treatment with olanzapine varied greatly and included (in overlapping categories) open-label and double-blind phases of studies, inpatients and outpatients, fixed-dose and dose-titration studies, and short-term or longer-term exposure. Adverse reactions were assessed by collecting adverse reactions, results of physical examinations, vital signs, weights, laboratory analytes, ECGs, chest x-rays, and results of ophthalmologic examinations. Certain portions of the discussion below relating to objective or numeric safety parameters, namely, dose-dependent adverse reactions, vital sign changes, weight gain, laboratory changes, and ECG changes are derived from studies in patients with schizophrenia and have not been duplicated for bipolar I disorder (manic or mixed episodes) or agitation. However, this information is also generally applicable to bipolar I disorder (manic or mixed episodes) and agitation. Adverse reactions during exposure were obtained by spontaneous report and recorded by clinical investigators using terminology of their own choosing. Consequently, it is not possible to provide a meaningful estimate of the proportion of individuals experiencing adverse reactions without first grouping similar types of reactions into a smaller number of standardized reaction categories. In the tables and tabulations that follow, MedDRA and COSTART Dictionary terminology has been used to classify reported adverse reactions. The stated frequencies of adverse reactions represent the proportion of individuals who experienced, at least once, a treatment-emergent adverse reaction of the type listed. A reaction was considered treatment emergent if i
Drug Interactions
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS The risks of using olanzapine in combination with other drugs have not been extensively evaluated in systematic studies. Diazepam: May potentiate orthostatic hypotension. ( 7.1 , 7.2 ) Alcohol: May potentiate orthostatic hypotension. ( 7.1 ) Carbamazepine: Increased clearance of olanzapine. ( 7.1 ) Fluvoxamine: May increase olanzapine levels. ( 7.1 ) Olanzapine and Fluoxetine in Combination: Also refer to the Drug Interactions section of the package insert for Symbyax. ( 7.1 ) CNS Acting Drugs: Caution should be used when taken in combination with other centrally acting drugs and alcohol. ( 7.2 ) Antihypertensive Agents: Enhanced antihypertensive effect. ( 7.2 ) Levodopa and Dopamine Agonists: May antagonize levodopa/dopamine agonists. ( 7.2 ) Other Concomitant Drug Therapy: When using olanzapine in combination with lithium or valproate, refer to the Drug Interactions sections of the package insert for those products. ( 7.2 ) 7.1 Potential for Other Drugs to Affect Olanzapine Diazepam — The co-administration of diazepam with olanzapine potentiated the orthostatic hypotension observed with olanzapine [see Drug Interactions ( 7.2 )] . Cimetidine and Antacids — Single doses of cimetidine (800 mg) or aluminum- and magnesium-containing antacids did not affect the oral bioavailability of olanzapine. Inducers of CYP1A2 — Carbamazepine therapy (200 mg bid) causes an approximately 50% increase in the clearance of olanzapine. This increase is likely due to the fact that carbamazepine is a potent inducer of CYP1A2 activity. Higher daily doses of carbamazepine may cause an even greater increase in olanzapine clearance. Alcohol — Ethanol (45 mg/70 kg single dose) did not have an effect on olanzapine pharmacokinetics. The co-administration of alcohol (i.e., ethanol) with olanzapine potentiated the orthostatic hypotension observed with olanzapine [see Drug Interactions ( 7.2 )] . Inhibitors of CYP1A2 Fluvoxamine: Fluvoxamine, a CYP1A2 inhibitor, decreases the clearance of olanzapine. This results in a mean increase in olanzapine Cmax following fluvoxamine of 54% in female nonsmokers and 77% in male smokers. The mean increase in olanzapine AUC is 52% and 108%, respectively. Lower doses of olanzapine should be considered in patients receiving concomitant treatment with fluvoxamine. Inhibitors of CYP2D6 Fluoxetine: Fluoxetine (60 mg single dose or 60 mg daily dose for 8 days) causes a small (mean 16%) increase in the maximum concentration of olanzapine and a small (mean 16%) decrease in olanzapine clearance. The magnitude of the impact of this factor is small in comparison to the overall variability between individuals, and therefore dose modification is not routinely recommended. When using olanzapine and fluoxetine in combination, also refer to the Drug Interactions section of the package insert for Symbyax. Warfarin — Warfarin (20 mg single dose) did not affect olanzapine pharmacokinetics [see Drug Interactions ( 7.2 )] . Inducers of CYP1A2 or Glucuronyl Transferase — Omeprazole and rifampin may cause an increase in olanzapine clearance. Charcoal — The administration of activated charcoal (1 g) reduced the Cmax and AUC of oral olanzapine by about 60%. As peak olanzapine levels are not typically obtained until about 6 hours after dosing, charcoal may be a useful treatment for olanzapine overdose. 7.2 Potential for Olanzapine to Affect Other Drugs CNS Acting Drugs — Given the primary CNS effects of olanzapine, caution should be used when olanzapine is taken in combination with other centrally acting drugs and alcohol. Antihypertensive Agents — Olanzapine, because of its potential for inducing hypotension, may enhance the effects of certain antihypertensive agents. Levodopa and Dopamine Agonists — Olanzapine may antagonize the effects of levodopa and dopamine agonists. Lithium — Multiple doses of olanzapine (10 mg for 8 days) did not influence the kinetics of lithium. Therefore, concomitant olanzapine administration does not require dosage adjustment of lithium [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.16 )] . Valproate — Olanzapine (10 mg daily for 2 weeks) did not affect the steady state plasma concentrations of valproate. Therefore, concomitant olanzapine administration does not require dosage adjustment of valproate [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.16 )] . Effect of Olanzapine on Drug Metabolizing Enzymes — In vitro studies utilizing human liver microsomes suggest that olanzapine has little potential to inhibit CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A. Thus, olanzapine is unlikely to cause clinically important drug interactions mediated by these enzymes. Imipramine — Single doses of olanzapine did not affect the pharmacokinetics of imipramine or its active metabolite desipramine. Warfarin — Single doses of olanzapine did not affect the pharmacokinetics of warfarin [see Drug Interactions ( 7.1 )] . Diazepam — Olanzapine did not influence the pharmacokinetics of diazepam or its active metabolite N-desmethyld
Contraindications
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS None with olanzapine monotherapy. When using olanzapine and fluoxetine in combination, also refer to the Contraindications section of the package insert for Symbyax. For specific information about the contraindications of lithium or valproate, refer to the Contraindications section of the package inserts for these other products. None with olanzapine monotherapy.( 4 ) When using olanzapine and fluoxetine in combination, also refer to the Contraindications section of the package insert for Symbyax ® . ( 4 ) When using olanzapine in combination with lithium or valproate, refer to the Contraindications section of the package inserts for those products. ( 4 )
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Data sourced from RxNorm (NLM/NIH), FDA Orange Book, OpenFDA, DailyMed. Last updated: 2026-03-02.