United States - English - NLM (National Library of Medicine)

remedyrepack inc. - divalproex sodium (unii: 644vl95ao6) (valproic acid - unii:614oi1z5wi) - divalproex sodium is a valproate and is indicated for the treatment of the manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder. a manic episode is a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood. typical symptoms of mania include pressure of speech, motor hyperactivity, reduced need for sleep, flight of ideas, grandiosity, poor judgment, aggressiveness, and possible hostility. the efficacy of divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets  was established in 3-week trials with patients meeting dsm-iii-r criteria for bipolar disorder who were hospitalized for acute mania [see clinical studies ( 14.1)] . the safety and effectiveness of divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets  for long-term use in mania, i.e., more than 3 weeks, has not been demonstrated in controlled clinical trials. therefore, healthcare providers who elect to use divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets for extended periods should continually reevaluate the long-term usefulness of the drug for the  individual patient. divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets are indicated as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy in the treatment of patients with complex partial seizures that occur either in isolation or in association with other types of seizures. divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets are also indicated for use as sole and adjunctive therapy in the treatment of simple and complex absence seizures, and adjunctively in patients with multiple seizure types that include absence seizures. simple absence is defined as very brief clouding of the sensorium or loss of consciousness accompanied by certain generalized epileptic discharges without other detectable clinical signs. complex absence is the term used when other signs are also present. divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets are indicated for prophylaxis of migraine headaches. there is no evidence that divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets are useful in the acute treatment of migraine headaches. because of the risk to the fetus of decreased iq, neurodevelopmental disorders, neural tube defects, and other major congenital malformations, which may occur very early in pregnancy, valproate should not be used to treat women with epilepsy or bipolar disorder who are pregnant or who plan to become pregnant unless other medications have failed to provide adequate symptom control or are otherwise unacceptable. valproate should not be administered to a woman of childbearing potential unless other medications have failed to provide adequate symptom control or are otherwise unacceptable [see warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.3, 5.4), use in specific populations (8.1), and patient counseling information (17)]. for prophylaxis of migraine headaches, divalproex sodium is contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in women of childbearing potential who are not using effective contraception [see contraindications (4)]. - divalproex sodium should not be administered to patients with hepatic disease or significant hepatic dysfunction [see warnings and precautions (5.1)]. - divalproex sodium is contraindicated in patients known to have mitochondrial disorders caused by mutations in mitochondrial dna polymerase γ (polg; e.g., alpers-huttenlocher syndrome) and children under two years of age who are suspected of having a polg-related disorder [see warnings and precautions (5.1)]. - divalproex sodium is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to the drug [see warnings and precautions (5.12)]. - divalproex sodium is contraindicated in patients with known urea cycle disorders [see warnings and precautions (5.6)]. - for use in prophylaxis of migraine headaches: divalproex sodium is contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in women of childbearing potential who are not using effective contraception [see warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.3, 5.4) and use in specific populations (8.1)]. pregnancy exposure registry there is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antiepileptic drugs (aeds), including divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets, during pregnancy. encourage women who are taking divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets during pregnancy to enroll in the north american antiepileptic drug (naaed) pregnancy registry by calling toll-free 1-888-233-2334 or visiting the website, http://www.aedpregnancyregistry.org/. this must be done by the patient herself. risk summary for use in prophylaxis of migraine headaches, valproate is contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in women of childbearing potential who are not using effective contraception [see contraindications (4)] . for use in epilepsy or bipolar disorder, valproate should not be used to treat women who are pregnant or who plan to become pregnant unless other medications have failed to provide adequate symptom control or are otherwise unacceptable [see boxed warning and warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.3)] . women with epilepsy who become pregnant while taking valproate should not discontinue valproate abruptly, as this can precipitate status epilepticus with resulting maternal and fetal hypoxia and threat to life. maternal valproate use during pregnancy for any indication increases the risk of congenital malformations, particularly neural tube defects including spina bifida, but also malformations involving other body systems (e.g., craniofacial defects including oral clefts, cardiovascular malformations, hypospadias, limb malformations). this risk is dose-dependent; however, a threshold dose below which no risk exists cannot be established. in utero exposure to valproate may also result in hearing impairment or hearing loss. valproate polytherapy with other aeds has been associated with an increased frequency of congenital malformations compared with aed monotherapy. the risk of major structural abnormalities is greatest during the first trimester; however, other serious developmental effects can occur with valproate use throughout pregnancy. the rate of congenital malformations among babies born to epileptic mothers who used valproate during pregnancy has been shown to be about four times higher than the rate among babies born to epileptic mothers who used other anti-seizure monotherapies [see warnings and precautions (5.2) and data (human)] . epidemiological studies have indicated that children exposed to valproate in utero have lower iq scores and a higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders compared to children exposed to either another aed in utero or to no aeds in utero [see warnings and precautions (5.3) and data (human)] . an observational study has suggested that exposure to valproate products during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorders [see data (human)] . in animal studies, valproate administration during pregnancy resulted in fetal structural malformations similar to those seen in humans and neurobehavioral deficits in the offspring at clinically relevant doses [see data (animal)] . there have been reports of hypoglycemia in neonates and fatal cases of hepatic failure in infants following maternal use of valproate during pregnancy. pregnant women taking valproate may develop hepatic failure or clotting abnormalities including thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, and/or decrease in other coagulation factors, which may result in hemorrhagic complications in the neonate including death [see warnings and precautions (5.1, 5.8)] . available prenatal diagnostic testing to detect neural tube and other defects should be offered to pregnant women using valproate. evidence suggests that folic acid supplementation prior to conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy decreases the risk for congenital neural tube defects in the general population. it is not known whether the risk of neural tube defects or decreased iq in the offspring of women receiving valproate is reduced by folic acid supplementation. dietary folic acid supplementation both prior to conception and during pregnancy should be routinely recommended for patients using valproate [see warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.4)]. all pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. in the u.s. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. clinical considerations disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk to prevent major seizures, women with epilepsy should not discontinue valproate abruptly, as this can precipitate status epilepticus with resulting maternal and fetal hypoxia and threat to life. even minor seizures may pose some hazard to the developing embryo or fetus [see warnings and precautions (5.4)] . however, discontinuation of the drug may be considered prior to and during pregnancy in individual cases if the seizure disorder severity and frequency do not pose a serious threat to the patient. maternal adverse reactions pregnant women taking valproate may develop clotting abnormalities including thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, and/or decrease in other coagulation factors, which may result in hemorrhagic complications in the neonate including death [see warnings and precautions (5.8)] . if valproate is used in pregnancy, the clotting parameters should be monitored carefully in the mother. if abnormal in the mother, then these parameters should also be monitored in the neonate. patients taking valproate may develop hepatic failure [see boxed warning and warnings and precautions (5.1)] . fatal cases of hepatic failure in infants exposed to valproate in utero have also been reported following maternal use of valproate during pregnancy. hypoglycemia has been reported in neonates whose mothers have taken valproate during pregnancy. data human neural tube defects and other structural abnormalities there is an extensive body of evidence demonstrating that exposure to valproate in utero increases the risk of neural tube defects and other structural abnormalities. based on published data from the cdc’s national birth defects prevention network, the risk of spina bifida in the general population is about 0.06 to 0.07% (6 to 7 in 10,000 births) compared to the risk following in utero valproate exposure estimated to be approximately 1 to 2% (100 to 200 in 10,000 births). the naaed pregnancy registry has reported a major malformation rate of 9 to 11% in the offspring of women exposed to an average of 1,000 mg/day of valproate monotherapy during pregnancy. these data show an up to a five-fold increased risk for any major malformation following valproate exposure in utero compared to the risk following exposure in utero to other aeds taken as monotherapy. the major congenital malformations included cases of neural tube defects, cardiovascular malformations, craniofacial defects (e.g., oral clefts, craniosynostosis), hypospadias, limb malformations (e.g., clubfoot, polydactyly), and other malformations of varying severity involving other body systems [see warnings and precautions (5.2)]. effect on iq and neurodevelopmental effects published epidemiological studies have indicated that children exposed to valproate in utero have lower iq scores than children exposed to either another aed in utero or to no aeds in utero . the largest of these studies 1 is a prospective cohort study conducted in the united states and united kingdom that found that children with prenatal exposure to valproate (n=62) had lower iq scores at age 6 (97 [95% c.i. 94 to 101]) than children with prenatal exposure to the other anti-epileptic drug monotherapy treatments evaluated: lamotrigine (108 [95% c.i. 105 to 110]), carbamazepine (105 [95% c.i. 102 to 108]) and phenytoin (108 [95% c.i. 104 to 112]). it is not known when during pregnancy cognitive effects in valproate-exposed children occur. because the women in this study were exposed to aeds throughout pregnancy, whether the risk for decreased iq was related to a particular time period during pregnancy could not be assessed [ see warnings and precautions (5.3)] . although the available studies have methodological limitations, the weight of the evidence supports a causal association between valproate exposure in utero and subsequent adverse effects on neurodevelopment, including increases in autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adhd). an observational study has suggested that exposure to valproate products during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorders. in this study, children born to mothers who had used valproate products during pregnancy had 2.9 times the risk (95% confidence interval [ci]: 1.7-4.9) of developing autism spectrum disorders compared to children born to mothers not exposed to valproate products during pregnancy. the absolute risks for autism spectrum disorders were 4.4% (95% ci: 2.6%-7.5%) in valproate-exposed children and 1.5% (95% ci: 1.5%-1.6%) in children not exposed to valproate products. another observational study found that children who were exposed to valproate in utero had an increased risk of adhd (adjusted hr 1.48; 95% ci, 1.09-2.00) compared with the unexposed children. because these studies were observational in nature, conclusions regarding a causal association between in utero valproate exposure and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder and adhd cannot be considered definitive. other there are published case reports of fatal hepatic failure in offspring of women who used valproate during pregnancy. animal in developmental toxicity studies conducted in mice, rats, rabbits, and monkeys, increased rates of fetal structural abnormalities, intrauterine growth retardation, and embryo-fetal death occurred following administration of valproate to pregnant animals during organogenesis at clinically relevant doses (calculated on a body surface area [mg/m 2 ] basis). valproate induced malformations of multiple organ systems, including skeletal, cardiac, and urogenital defects. in mice, in addition to other malformations, fetal neural tube defects have been reported following valproate administration during critical periods of organogenesis, and the teratogenic response correlated with peak maternal drug levels. behavioral abnormalities (including cognitive, locomotor, and social interaction deficits) and brain histopathological changes have also been reported in mice and rat offspring exposed prenatally to clinically relevant doses of valproate. risk summary valproate is excreted in human milk. data in the published literature describe the presence of valproate in human milk (range: 0.4 mcg/ml to 3.9 mcg/ml), corresponding to 1% to 10% of maternal serum levels. valproate serum concentrations collected from breastfed infants aged 3 days postnatal to 12 weeks following delivery ranged from 0.7 mcg/ml to 4 mcg/ml, which were 1% to 6% of maternal serum valproate levels. a published study in children up to six years of age did not report adverse developmental or cognitive effects following exposure to valproate via breast milk [see data (human)].          there are no data to assess the effects of divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets on milk production or excretion. clinical considerations the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for divalproex sodium and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from divalproex sodium or from the underlying maternal condition. monitor the breastfed infant for signs of liver damage including jaundice and unusual bruising or bleeding. there have been reports of hepatic failure and clotting abnormalities in offspring of women who used valproate during pregnancy [see use in specific populations (8.1)] . data human in a published study, breast milk and maternal blood samples were obtained from 11 epilepsy patients taking valproate at doses ranging from 300 mg/day to 2,400 mg/day on postnatal days 3 to 6. in 4 patients who were taking valproate only, breast milk contained an average valproate concentration of 1.8 mcg/ml (range: 1.1 mcg/ml to 2.2 mcg/ml), which corresponded to 4.8% of the maternal plasma concentration (range: 2.7% to 7.4%). across all patients (7 of whom were taking other aeds concomitantly), similar results were obtained for breast milk concentration (1.8 mcg/ml, range: 0.4 mcg/ml to 3.9 mcg/ml) and maternal plasma ratio (5.1%, range: 1.3% to 9.6%). a published study of 6 breastfeeding mother-infant pairs measured serum valproate levels during maternal treatment for bipolar disorder (750 mg/day or 1,000 mg/day). none of the mothers received valproate during pregnancy, and infants were aged from 4 weeks to 19 weeks at the time of evaluation. infant serum levels ranged from 0.7 mcg/ml to 1.5 mcg/ml. with maternal serum valproate levels near or within the therapeutic range, infant exposure was 0.9% to 2.3% of maternal levels. similarly, in 2 published case reports with maternal doses of 500 mg/day or 750 mg/day during breastfeeding of infants aged 3 months and 1 month, infant exposure was 1.5% and 6% that of the mother, respectively. a prospective observational multicenter study evaluated the long-term neurodevelopmental effects of aed use on children. pregnant women receiving monotherapy for epilepsy were enrolled with assessments of their children at ages 3 years and 6 years. mothers continued aed therapy during the breastfeeding period. adjusted iqs measured at 3 years for breastfed and non-breastfed children were 93 (n=11) and 90 (n=24), respectively. at 6 years, the scores for breastfed and non-breastfed children were 106 (n=11) and 94 (n=25), respectively (p=0.04). for other cognitive domains evaluated at 6 years, no adverse cognitive effects of continued exposure to an aed (including valproate) via breast milk were observed. contraception women of childbearing potential should use effective contraception while taking valproate [see boxed warning, warnings and precautions (5.4), drug interactions (7), and use in specific populations (8.1)] . this is especially important when valproate use is considered for a condition not usually associated with permanent injury or death such as prophylaxis of migraine headaches [see contraindications (4)] . infertility there have been reports of male infertility coincident with valproate therapy [see adverse reactions (6.4)] . in animal studies, oral administration of valproate at clinically relevant doses resulted in adverse reproductive effects in males [see nonclinical toxicology (13.1)] . experience has indicated that pediatric patients under the age of two years are at a considerably increased risk of developing fatal hepatotoxicity, especially those with the aforementioned conditions [see boxed warning and warnings and precautions (5.1)] . when divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets are used in this patient group, it should be used with extreme caution and as a sole agent. the benefits of therapy should be weighed against the risks. above the age of 2 years, experience in epilepsy has indicated that the incidence of fatal hepatotoxicity decreases considerably in progressively older patient groups. younger children, especially those receiving enzyme-inducing drugs, will require larger maintenance doses to attain targeted total and unbound valproate concentrations. pediatric patients (i.e., between 3 months and 10 years) have 50% higher clearances expressed on weight (i.e., ml/min/kg) than do adults. over the age of 10 years, children have pharmacokinetic parameters that approximate those of adults. the variability in free fraction limits the clinical usefulness of monitoring total serum valproic acid concentrations. interpretation of valproic acid concentrations in children should include consideration of factors that affect hepatic metabolism and protein binding. pediatric clinical trials divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets were studied in seven pediatric clinical trials. two of the pediatric studies were double-blinded placebo-controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for the indications of mania (150 patients aged 10 to 17 years, 76 of whom were on divalproex sodium extended-release tablets) and migraine (304 patients aged 12 to 17 years, 231 of whom were on divalproex sodium extended-release tablets). efficacy was not established for either the treatment of migraine or the treatment of mania. the most common drug-related adverse reactions (reported >5% and twice the rate of placebo) reported in the controlled pediatric mania study were nausea, upper abdominal pain, somnolence, increased ammonia, gastritis and rash. the remaining five trials were long term safety studies. two six-month pediatric studies were conducted to evaluate the long-term safety of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for the indication of mania (292 patients aged 10 to 17 years). two twelve-month pediatric studies were conducted to evaluate the long-term safety of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for the indication of migraine (353 patients aged 12 to 17 years). one twelve-month study was conducted to evaluate the safety of divalproex sodium sprinkle capsules in the indication of partial seizures (169 patients aged 3 to 10 years). in these seven clinical trials, the safety and tolerability of divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets in pediatric patients were shown to be comparable to those in adults [see adverse reactions (6)] . juvenile animal toxicology in studies of valproate in immature animals, toxic effects not observed in adult animals included retinal dysplasia in rats treated during the neonatal period (from postnatal day 4) and nephrotoxicity in rats treated during the neonatal and juvenile (from postnatal day 14) periods. the no-effect dose for these findings was less than the maximum recommended human dose on a mg/m 2 basis. no patients above the age of 65 years were enrolled in double-blind prospective clinical trials of mania associated with bipolar illness. in a case review study of 583 patients, 72 patients (12%) were greater than 65 years of age. a higher percentage of patients above 65 years of age reported accidental injury, infection, pain, somnolence, and tremor. discontinuation of valproate was occasionally associated with the latter two events. it is not clear whether these events indicate additional risk or whether they result from preexisting medical illness and concomitant medication use among these patients. a study of elderly patients with dementia revealed drug related somnolence and discontinuation for somnolence [see warnings and precautions ( 5.14)] . the starting dose should be reduced in these patients, and dosage reductions or discontinuation should be considered in patients with excessive somnolence [see dosage and administration ( 2.4)] . there is insufficient information available to discern the safety and effectiveness of valproate for the prophylaxis of migraines in patients over 65.

United States - English - NLM (National Library of Medicine)

remedyrepack inc. - sertraline hydrochloride (unii: uti8907y6x) (sertraline - unii:quc7nx6wmb) - sertraline hydrochloride tablets are indicated for the treatment of the following [see clinical studies ( 14)] : - major depressive disorder (mdd) - obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd) - panic disorder (pd) - posttraumatic stress disorder (ptsd) - social anxiety disorder (sad) - premenstrual dysphoric disorder (pmdd) sertraline hydrochloride tablets are contraindicated in patients: - taking, or within 14 days of stopping, maois, (including the maois linezolid and intravenous methylene blue) because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome [see warnings and precautions ( 5.2), drug interactions ( 7.1)] . - taking pimozide [see drug interactions ( 7.1)]. - with known hypersensitivity to sertraline (e.g., anaphylaxis, angioedema) [see adverse reactions ( 6.1, 6.2)] . pregnancy exposure registry there is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. healthcare providers should encourage patients to enroll by calling the national pregnancy registry for antidepressants at 1-866-961-2388 or visiting online at https://womensmentalhealth.org/research/pregnancyregistry/antidepressants . risk summary based on data from published observational studies, exposure to ssris, particularly in the month before delivery, has been associated with a less than 2-fold increase in the risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions ( 5.3) and clinical considerations] . overall, available published epidemiologic studies of pregnant women exposed to sertraline in the first trimester suggest no difference in major birth defect risk compared to the background rate for major birth defects in comparator populations. some studies have reported increases for specific major birth defects; however, these study results are inconclusive [see data]. there are clinical considerations regarding neonates exposed to ssris and snris, including sertraline hydrochloride, during the third trimester of pregnancy [see clinical considerations]. although no teratogenicity was observed in animal reproduction studies, delayed fetal ossification was observed when sertraline was administered during the period of organogenesis at doses less than the maximum recommended human dose (mrhd) in rats and doses 3.1 times the mrhd in rabbits on a mg/m 2 basis in adolescents. when sertraline was administered to female rats during the last third of gestation, there was an increase in the number of stillborn pups and pup deaths during the first four days after birth at the mrhd [see data]. the background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population are unknown. in the u.s. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. advise a pregnant woman of possible risks to the fetus when prescribing sertraline hydrochloride tablets. clinical considerations disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk: a prospective longitudinal study followed 201 pregnant women with a history of major depression who were euthymic taking antidepressants at the beginning of pregnancy. the women who discontinued antidepressants during pregnancy were more likely to experience a relapse of major depression than women who continued antidepressants. consider the risks of untreated depression when discontinuing or changing treatment with antidepressant medication during pregnancy and postpartum. maternal adverse reactions use of sertraline hydrochloride tablets in the month before delivery may be associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions ( 5.3)] . fetal/neonatal adverse reactions exposure to ssris and snris, including sertraline hydrochloride in late pregnancy may lead to an increased risk for neonatal complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding, and/or persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (pphn). when treating a pregnant woman with sertraline hydrochloride during the third trimester, carefully consider both the potential risks and benefits of treatment. monitor neonates who were exposed to sertraline hydrochloride in the third trimester of pregnancy for pphn and drug discontinuation syndrome [see data]. data human data: third trimester exposure neonates exposed to sertraline hydrochloride and other ssris or snris late in the third trimester have developed complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding. these findings are based on post-marketing reports. such complications can arise immediately upon delivery. reported clinical findings have included respiratory distress, cyanosis, apnea, seizures, temperature instability, feeding difficulty, vomiting, hypoglycemia, hypotonia, hypertonia, hyperreflexia, tremor, jitteriness, irritability, and constant crying. these features are consistent with either a direct toxic effect of ssris and snris or, possibly, a drug discontinuation syndrome. in some cases, the clinical picture was consistent with serotonin syndrome [see warnings and precautions ( 5.2)]. exposure during late pregnancy to ssris may have an increased risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (pphn). pphn occurs in 1 to 2 per 1,000 live births in the general population and is associated with substantial neonatal morbidity and mortality. in a retrospective case-control study of 377 women whose infants were born with pphn and 836 women whose infants were born healthy, the risk for developing pphn was approximately six-fold higher for infants exposed to ssris after the 20 th week of gestation compared to infants who had not been exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. a study of 831,324 infants born in sweden in 1997 to 2005 found a pphn risk ratio of 2.4 (95% ci 1.2 to 4.3) associated with patient-reported maternal use of ssris "in early pregnancy" and a pphn risk ratio of 3.6 (95% ci 1.2 to 8.3) associated with a combination of patient-reported maternal use of ssris "in early pregnancy" and an antenatal ssri prescription "in later pregnancy". first trimester exposure the weight of evidence from epidemiologic studies of pregnant women exposed to sertraline in the first trimester suggest no difference in major birth defect risk compared to the background rate for major birth defects in pregnant women who were not exposed to sertraline. a meta-analysis of studies suggest no increase in the risk of total malformations (summary odds ratio=1.01, 95% ci=0.88 to 1.17) or cardiac malformations (summary odds ratio=0.93, 95% ci=0.70 to 1.23) among offspring of women with first trimester exposure to sertraline. an increased risk of congenital cardiac defects, specifically septal defects, the most common type of congenital heart defect, was observed in some published epidemiologic studies with first trimester sertraline exposure; however, most of these studies were limited by the use of comparison populations that did not allow for the control of confounders such as the underlying depression and associated conditions and behaviors, which may be factors associated with increased risk of these malformations. animal data: reproduction studies have been performed in rats and rabbits at doses up to 80 mg/kg/day and 40 mg/kg/day, respectively. these doses correspond to approximately 3.1 times the maximum recommended human dose (mrhd) of 200 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis in adolescents. there was no evidence of teratogenicity at any dose level. when pregnant rats and rabbits were given sertraline during the period of organogenesis, delayed ossification was observed in fetuses at doses of 10 mg/kg (0.4 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis) in rats and 40 mg/kg (3.1 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis) in rabbits. when female rats received sertraline during the last third of gestation and throughout lactation, there was an increase in stillborn pups and pup deaths during the first 4 days after birth. pup body weights were also decreased during the first four days after birth. these effects occurred at a dose of 20 mg/kg (0.8 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). the no effect dose for rat pup mortality was 10 mg/kg (0.4 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). the decrease in pup survival was shown to be due to in utero exposure to sertraline. the clinical significance of these effects is unknown. risk summary available data from published literature demonstrate low levels of sertraline and its metabolites in human milk [see data]. there are no data on the effects of sertraline on milk production. the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for sertraline hydrochloride tablets and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from the drug or from the underlying maternal condition. data in a published pooled analysis of 53 mother-infant pairs, exclusively human milk-fed infants had an average of 2% (range 0% to 15%) of the sertraline serum levels measured in their mothers. no adverse reactions were observed in these infants. the safety and efficacy of sertraline hydrochloride have been established in the treatment of ocd in pediatric patients aged 6 to 17 [see adverse reactions ( 6.1), clinical pharmacology ( 12.3), clinical studies ( 14.2)]. safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients in patients with ocd below the age of 6 have not been established. safety and effectiveness have not been established in pediatric patients for indications other than ocd. two placebo-controlled trials were conducted in pediatric patients with mdd, but the data were not sufficient to support an indication for use in pediatric patients. monitoring pediatric patients treated with sertraline hydrochloride monitor all patients being treated with antidepressants for clinical worsening, suicidal thoughts, and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the initial few months of treatment, or at times of dose increases or decreases [see boxed warning, warnings and precautions ( 5.1)]. decreased appetite and weight loss have been observed with the use of ssris. monitor weight and growth in pediatric patients treated with an ssri such as sertraline hydrochloride. weight loss in studies in pediatric patients with mdd in a pooled analysis of two 10-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, flexible dose (50 to 200 mg) outpatient trials for mdd (n=373), there was a difference in weight change between sertraline hydrochloride and placebo of roughly 1 kg, for both children (ages 6 to 11) and adolescents (ages 12 to 17), in both age groups representing a slight weight loss for the sertraline hydrochloride group compared to a slight gain for the placebo group. for children, about 7% of the sertraline hydrochloride-treated patients had a weight loss greater than 7% of body weight compared to 0% of the placebo-treated patients; for adolescents, about 2% of sertraline hydrochloride-treated patients had a weight loss > 7% of body weight compared to about 1% of placebo-treated patients. a subset of patients who completed the randomized controlled trials in patients with mdd (sertraline hydrochloride n=99, placebo n=122) were continued into a 24-week, flexible-dose, open-label, extension study. those subjects who completed 34 weeks of sertraline hydrochloride treatment (10 weeks in a placebo-controlled trial + 24 weeks open-label, n=68) had weight gain that was similar to that expected using data from age-adjusted peers. however, there are no studies that directly evaluate the long-term effects of sertraline hydrochloride on the growth, development, and maturation in pediatric patients. juvenile animal data a study conducted in juvenile rats at clinically relevant doses showed delay in sexual maturation, but there was no effect on fertility in either males or females. in this study in which juvenile rats were treated with oral doses of sertraline at 0, 10, 40 or 80 mg/kg/day from postnatal day 21 to 56, a delay in sexual maturation was observed in males treated with 80 mg/kg/day and females treated with doses ≥10 mg/kg/day. there was no effect on male and female reproductive endpoints or neurobehavioral development up to the highest dose tested (80 mg/kg/day), except a decrease in auditory startle response in females at 40 and 80 mg/kg/day at the end of treatment but not at the end of the drug–free period. the highest dose of 80 mg/kg/day produced plasma levels (auc) of sertraline 5 times those seen in pediatric patients (6 to 17 years of age) receiving the maximum recommended dose of sertraline (200 mg/day). of the total number of patients in clinical studies of sertraline hydrochloride in patients with mdd, ocd, pd, ptsd, sad and pmdd, 797 (17%) were ≥ 65 years old, while 197 (4%) were ≥ 75 years old. no overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. in general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be conservative, usually starting at the low end of the dosing range, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy. in 354 geriatric subjects treated with sertraline hydrochloride in mdd placebo-controlled trials, the overall profile of adverse reactions was generally similar to that shown in table 3 [see adverse reactions ( 6.1)] , except for tinnitus, arthralgia with an incidence of at least 2% and at a rate greater than placebo in geriatric patients. snris and ssris, including sertraline hydrochloride, have been associated with cases of clinically significant hyponatremia in elderly patients, who may be at greater risk for this adverse reaction [see warnings and precautions ( 5.8)] . the recommended dosage in patients with mild hepatic impairment (child-pugh score 5 or 6) is half the recommended dosage due to increased exposure in this patient population. the use of sertraline hydrochloride in patients with moderate (child-pugh score 7 to 10) or severe hepatic impairment (child-pugh score 10 to 15) is not recommended, because sertraline hydrochloride is extensively metabolized, and the effects of sertraline hydrochloride in patients with moderate and severe hepatic impairment have not been studied [see dosage and administration ( 2.4), clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)] . no dose adjustment is needed in patients with mild to severe renal impairment. sertraline exposure does not appear to be affected by renal impairment [see clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. sertraline hydrochloride tablet contains sertraline, which is not a controlled substance. in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study of the comparative abuse liability of sertraline hydrochloride, alprazolam, and d-amphetamine in humans, sertraline hydrochloride did not produce the positive subjective effects indicative of abuse potential, such as euphoria or drug liking, that were observed with the other two drugs.

United States - English - NLM (National Library of Medicine)

remedyrepack inc. - sertraline hydrochloride (unii: uti8907y6x) (sertraline - unii:quc7nx6wmb) - sertraline hydrochloride tablets are indicated for the treatment of the following [see clinical studies (14)] : - major depressive disorder (mdd) - obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd) - panic disorder (pd) - posttraumatic stress disorder (ptsd) - social anxiety disorder (sad) - premenstrual dysphoric disorder (pmdd) sertraline hydrochloride tablets are contraindicated in patients: - taking, or within 14 days of stopping, maois, (including the maois linezolid and intravenous methylene blue) because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome [see warnings and precautions (5.2), drug interactions (7.1)] . - taking pimozide [see drug interactions (7.1)] . - with known hypersensitivity to sertraline (e.g., anaphylaxis, angioedema) [see adverse reactions (6.1, 6.2)]. pregnancy exposure registry there is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. healthcare providers should encourage patients to enroll by calling the national pregnancy registry for antidepressants at 1-866-961-2388 or visiting online at https://womensmentalhealth.org/research/pregnancyregistry/antidepressants risk summary based on data from published observational studies, exposure to ssris, particularly in the month before delivery, has been associated with a less than 2-fold increase in the risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions (5.3) and clinical considerations]. overall, available published epidemiologic studies of pregnant women exposed to sertraline in the first trimester suggest no difference in major birth defect risk compared to the background rate for major birth defects in comparator populations. some studies have reported increases for specific major birth defects; however, these study results are inconclusive [see data] . there are clinical considerations regarding neonates exposed to ssris and snris, including sertraline hydrochloride, during the third trimester of pregnancy [see clinical considerations]. although no teratogenicity was observed in animal reproduction studies, delayed fetal ossification was observed when sertraline was administered during the period of organogenesis at doses less than the maximum recommended human dose (mrhd) in rats and doses 3.1 times the mrhd in rabbits on a mg/m 2 basis in adolescents. when sertraline was administered to female rats during the last third of gestation, there was an increase in the number of stillborn pups and pup deaths during the first four days after birth at the mrhd [see data] . the background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population are unknown. in the u.s. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. advise a pregnant woman of possible risks to the fetus when prescribing sertraline hydrochloride tablets. clinical considerations disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk a prospective longitudinal study followed 201 pregnant women with a history of major depression who were euthymic taking antidepressants at the beginning of pregnancy. the women who discontinued antidepressants during pregnancy were more likely to experience a relapse of major depression than women who continued antidepressants. consider the risks of untreated depression when discontinuing or changing treatment with antidepressant medication during pregnancy and postpartum. maternal adverse reactions use of sertraline hydrochloride in the month before delivery may be associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions (5.3)]. fetal/neonatal adverse reactions exposure to ssris and snris, including sertraline hydrochloride in late pregnancy may lead to an increased risk for neonatal complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding, and/or persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (pphn). when treating a pregnant woman with sertraline hydrochloride during the third trimester, carefully consider both the potential risks and benefits of treatment. monitor neonates who were exposed to sertraline hydrochloride in the third trimester of pregnancy for pphn and drug discontinuation syndrome [see data]. data human data third trimester exposure neonates exposed to sertraline hydrochloride and other ssris or snris late in the third trimester have developed complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding. these findings are based on post-marketing reports. such complications can arise immediately upon delivery. reported clinical findings have included respiratory distress, cyanosis, apnea, seizures, temperature instability, feeding difficulty, vomiting, hypoglycemia, hypotonia, hypertonia, hyperreflexia, tremor, jitteriness, irritability, and constant crying. these features are consistent with either a direct toxic effect of ssris and snris or, possibly, a drug discontinuation syndrome. in some cases, the clinical picture was consistent with serotonin syndrome [see warnings and precautions (5.2)] . exposure during late pregnancy to ssris may have an increased risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (pphn). pphn occurs in 1 to 2 per 1,000 live births in the general population and is associated with substantial neonatal morbidity and mortality. in a retrospective case-control study of 377 women whose infants were born with pphn and 836 women whose infants were born healthy, the risk for developing pphn was approximately six-fold higher for infants exposed to ssris after the 20 th week of gestation compared to infants who had not been exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. a study of 831,324 infants born in sweden in 1997 to 2005 found a pphn risk ratio of 2.4 (95% ci 1.2 to 4.3) associated with patient-reported maternal use of ssris “in early pregnancy” and a pphn risk ratio of 3.6 (95% ci 1.2 to 8.3) associated with a combination of patient-reported maternal use of ssris “in early pregnancy” and an antenatal ssri prescription “in later pregnancy”. first trimester exposure the weight of evidence from epidemiologic studies of pregnant women exposed to sertraline in the first trimester suggest no difference in major birth defect risk compared to the background rate for major birth defects in pregnant women who were not exposed to sertraline. a meta-analysis of studies suggest no increase in the risk of total malformations (summary odds ratio=1.01, 95% ci=0.88 to 1.17) or cardiac malformations (summary odds ratio=0.93, 95% ci=0.70 to 1.23) among offspring of women with first trimester exposure to sertraline. an increased risk of congenital cardiac defects, specifically septal defects, the most common type of congenital heart defect, was observed in some published epidemiologic studies with first trimester sertraline exposure; however, most of these studies were limited by the use of comparison populations that did not allow for the control of confounders such as the underlying depression and associated conditions and behaviors, which may be factors associated with increased risk of these malformations. animal data reproduction studies have been performed in rats and rabbits at doses up to 80 mg/kg/day and  40 mg/kg/day, respectively. these doses correspond to approximately 3.1 times the maximum recommended human dose (mrhd) of 200 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis in adolescents. there was no evidence of teratogenicity at any dose level. when pregnant rats and rabbits were given sertraline during the period of organogenesis, delayed ossification was observed in fetuses at doses of 10 mg/kg (0.4 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis) in rats and 40 mg/kg (3.1 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis) in rabbits. when female rats received sertraline during the last third of gestation and throughout lactation, there was an increase in stillborn pups and pup deaths during the first 4 days after birth. pup body weights were also decreased during the first four days after birth. these effects occurred at a dose of 20 mg/kg (0.8 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). the no effect dose for rat pup mortality was 10 mg/kg (0.4 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). the decrease in pup survival was shown to be due to in utero exposure to sertraline. the clinical significance of these effects is unknown. risk summary available data from published literature demonstrate low levels of sertraline and its metabolites in human milk [see data] . there are no data on the effects of sertraline on milk production. the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for sertraline hydrochloride and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from the drug or from the underlying maternal condition. data in a published pooled analysis of 53 mother-infant pairs, exclusively human milk-fed infants had an average of 2% (range 0% to 15%) of the sertraline serum levels measured in their mothers. no adverse reactions were observed in these infants. the safety and efficacy of sertraline hydrochloride have been established in the treatment of ocd in pediatric patients aged 6 to 17 [see adverse reactions (6.1), clinical pharmacology (12.3), clinical studies (14.2)] . safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients in patients with ocd below the age of 6 have not been established. safety and effectiveness have not been established in pediatric patients for indications other than ocd. two placebo-controlled trials were conducted in pediatric patients with mdd, but the data were not sufficient to support an indication for use in pediatric patients. monitoring pediatric patients treated with sertraline hydrochloride monitor all patients being treated with antidepressants for clinical worsening, suicidal thoughts, and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the initial few months of treatment, or at times of dose increases or decreases [see boxed warning, warnings and precautions (5.1)] . decreased appetite and weight loss have been observed with the use of ssris. monitor weight and growth in pediatric patients treated with an ssri such as sertraline hydrochloride . weight loss in studies in pediatric patients with mdd in a pooled analysis of two 10-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, flexible dose (50 mg to 200 mg) outpatient trials for mdd (n=373), there was a difference in weight change between sertraline hydrochloride and placebo of roughly 1 kg, for both children (ages 6 to 11) and adolescents (ages 12 to 17), in both age groups representing a slight weight loss for the sertraline hydrochloride group compared to a slight gain for the placebo group. for children, about 7% of the sertraline hydrochloride-treated patients had a weight loss greater than 7% of body weight compared to 0% of the placebo-treated patients; for adolescents, about 2% of sertraline hydrochloride-treated patients had a weight loss > 7% of body weight compared to about 1% of placebo-treated patients. a subset of patients who completed the randomized controlled trials in patients with mdd (sertraline hydrochloride n=99, placebo n=122) were continued into a 24-week, flexible-dose, open-label, extension study. those subjects who completed 34 weeks of sertraline hydrochloride treatment (10 weeks in a placebo-controlled trial + 24 weeks open-label, n=68) had weight gain that was similar to that expected using data from age-adjusted peers. however, there are no studies that directly evaluate the long-term effects of sertraline hydrochloride on the growth, development, and maturation in pediatric patients. juvenile animal data a study conducted in juvenile rats at clinically relevant doses showed delay in sexual maturation, but there was no effect on fertility in either males or females. in this study in which juvenile rats were treated with oral doses of sertraline at 0, 10, 40 or 80 mg/kg/day from postnatal day 21 to 56, a delay in sexual maturation was observed in males treated with 80 mg/kg/day and females treated with doses ≥10 mg/kg/day. there was no effect on male and female reproductive endpoints or neurobehavioral development up to the highest dose tested (80 mg/kg/day), except a decrease in auditory startle response in females at 40 and 80 mg/kg/day at the end of treatment but not at the end of the drug-free period. the highest dose of 80 mg/kg/day produced plasma levels (auc) of sertraline 5 times those seen in pediatric patients (6 to 17 years of age) receiving the maximum recommended dose of sertraline (200 mg/day). of the total number of patients in clinical studies of sertraline hydrochloride in patients with mdd, ocd, pd, ptsd, sad and pmdd, 797 (17%) were ≥ 65 years old, while 197 (4%) were ≥ 75 years old. no overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. in general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be conservative, usually starting at the low end of the dosing range, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy. in 354 geriatric subjects treated with sertraline hydrochloride in mdd placebo-controlled trials, the overall profile of adverse reactions was generally similar to that shown in table 3  [see adverse reactions (6.1)], except for tinnitus, arthralgia with an incidence of at least 2% and at a rate greater than placebo in geriatric patients. snris and ssris, including sertraline hydrochloride, have been associated with cases of clinically significant hyponatremia in elderly patients, who may be at greater risk for this adverse reaction [see warnings and precautions (5.8) ] . the recommended dosage in patients with mild hepatic impairment (child-pugh score 5 or 6) is half the recommended dosage due to increased exposure in this patient population. the use of sertraline hydrochloride in patients with moderate (child-pugh score 7 to 10) or severe hepatic impairment (child-pugh score 10 to 15) is not recommended, because sertraline hydrochloride is extensively metabolized, and the effects of sertraline hydrochloride in patients with moderate and severe hepatic impairment have not been studied [see dosage and administration (2.4), clinical pharmacology (12.3)] . no dose adjustment is needed in patients with mild to severe renal impairment. sertraline exposure does not appear to be affected by renal impairment [see clinical pharmacology (12.3)] . sertraline hydrochloride tablets contain sertraline, which is not a controlled substance. in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study of the comparative abuse liability of sertraline hydrochloride, alprazolam, and d-amphetamine in humans, sertraline hydrochloride did not produce the positive subjective effects indicative of abuse potential, such as euphoria or drug liking, that were observed with the other two drugs.

United States - English - NLM (National Library of Medicine)

remedyrepack inc. - divalproex sodium (unii: 644vl95ao6) (valproic acid - unii:614oi1z5wi) - divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are a valproate and are indicated for the treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder, with or without psychotic features. a manic episode is a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood. typical symptoms of mania include pressure of speech, motor hyperactivity, reduced need for sleep, flight of ideas, grandiosity, poor judgment, aggressiveness, and possible hostility. a mixed episode is characterized by the criteria for a manic episode in conjunction with those for a major depressive episode (depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities).   the efficacy of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets is based in part on studies of divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets in this indication, and was confirmed in a 3-week trial with patients meeting dsm-iv tr criteria for bipolar i disorder, manic or mixed type, who were hospitalized for acute mania [see clinical studies (14.1)] . the effectiveness of valproate for long-term use in mania, i.e., more than 3 weeks, has not been demonstrated in controlled clinical trials. therefore, healthcare providers who elect to use divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for extended periods should continually reevaluate the long-term risk-benefits of the drug for the individual patient. divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are indicated as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy in the treatment of adult patients and pediatric patients down to the age of 10 years with complex partial seizures that occur either in isolation or in association with other types of seizures. divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are also indicated for use as sole and adjunctive therapy in the treatment of simple and complex absence seizures in adults and children 10 years of age or older, and adjunctively in adults and children 10 years of age or older with multiple seizure types that include absence seizures.  simple absence is defined as very brief clouding of the sensorium or loss of consciousness accompanied by certain generalized epileptic discharges without other detectable clinical signs. complex absence is the term used when other signs are also present.  divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are indicated for prophylaxis of migraine headaches. there is no evidence that divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are useful in the acute treatment of migraine headaches. because of the risk to the fetus of decreased iq, neurodevelopmental disorders, neural tube defects, and other major congenital malformations, which may occur very early in pregnancy, valproate should not be used to treat women with epilepsy or bipolar disorder who are pregnant or who plan to become pregnant unless other medications have failed to provide adequate symptom control or are otherwise unacceptable. valproate should not be administered to a woman of childbearing potential unless other medications have failed to provide adequate symptom control or are otherwise unacceptable [see warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.3, 5.4) , use in specific populations (8.1), and patient counseling information (17)] . for prophylaxis of migraine headaches, divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in women of childbearing potential who are not using effective contraception [see contraindications (4)] . - divalproex sodium extended-release tablets should not be administered to patients with hepatic disease or significant hepatic dysfunction [see warnings and precautions (5.1)] . - divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are  contraindicated in patients known to have mitochondrial disorders caused by mutations in mitochondrial dna polymerase γ (polg; e.g., alpers-huttenlocher syndrome) and children under two years of age who are suspected of having a polg-related disorder [see warnings and precautions (5.1)] . - divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to the drug [see warnings and precautions (5.12)] . - divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are contraindicated in patients with known urea cycle disorders [see warnings and precautions (5.6)] . - for use in prophylaxis of migraine headaches: divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in women of childbearing potential who are not using effective contraception [see warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.3, 5.4) and use in specific populations (8.1)] . pregnancy exposure registry there is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antiepileptic drugs (aeds), including divalproex sodium extended-release tablets, during pregnancy. encourage women who are taking divalproex sodium extended-release tablets during pregnancy to enroll in the north american antiepileptic drug (naaed) pregnancy registry by calling toll-free 1-888-233-2334 or visiting the website, http://www.aedpregnancyregistry.org/. this must be done by the patient herself. risk summary for use in prophylaxis of migraine headaches, valproate is contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in women of childbearing potential who are not using effective contraception [see contraindications (4)] .  for use in epilepsy or bipolar disorder, valproate should not be used to treat women who are pregnant or who plan to become pregnant unless other medications have failed to provide adequate symptom control or are otherwise unacceptable [see  boxed warningand warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.3)] . women with epilepsy who become pregnant while taking valproate should not discontinue valproate abruptly, as this can precipitate status epilepticus with resulting maternal and fetal hypoxia and threat to life. maternal valproate use during pregnancy for any indication increases the risk of congenital malformations, particularly neural tube defects including spina bifida, but also malformations involving other body systems (e.g., craniofacial defects including oral clefts, cardiovascular malformations, hypospadias, limb malformations). this risk is dose-dependent; however, a threshold dose below which no risk exists cannot be established. in utero exposure to valproate may also result in hearing impairment or hearing loss. valproate polytherapy with other aeds has been associated with an increased frequency of congenital malformations compared with aed monotherapy. the risk of major structural abnormalities is greatest during the first trimester; however, other serious developmental effects can occur with valproate use throughout pregnancy. the rate of congenital malformations among babies born to epileptic mothers who used valproate during pregnancy has been shown to be about four times higher than the rate among babies born to epileptic mothers who used other anti-seizure monotherapies [see  warnings and precautions (5.2)and data (human)] . epidemiological studies have indicated that children exposed to valproate in utero have lower iq scores and a higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders compared to children exposed to either another aed in utero or to no aeds in utero [see  warnings and precautions (5.3)and data (human)] .  an observational study has suggested that exposure to valproate products during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorders [see data (human)] . in animal studies, valproate administration during pregnancy resulted in fetal structural malformations similar to those seen in humans and neurobehavioral deficits in the offspring at clinically relevant doses [see data (animal)] . there have been reports of hypoglycemia in neonates and fatal cases of hepatic failure in infants following maternal use of valproate during pregnancy. pregnant women taking valproate may develop hepatic failure or clotting abnormalities including thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, and/or decrease in other coagulation factors, which may result in hemorrhagic complications in the neonate including death [see warnings and precautions (5.1, 5.8)] . available prenatal diagnostic testing to detect neural tube and other defects should be offered to pregnant women using valproate. evidence suggests that folic acid supplementation prior to conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy decreases the risk for congenital neural tube defects in the general population. it is not known whether the risk of neural tube defects or decreased iq in the offspring of women receiving valproate is reduced by folic acid supplementation. dietary folic acid supplementation both prior to conception and during pregnancy should be routinely recommended for patients using valproate [see warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.4)]. all pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. in the u.s. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. clinical considerations disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk to prevent major seizures, women with epilepsy should not discontinue valproate abruptly, as this can precipitate status epilepticus with resulting maternal and fetal hypoxia and threat to life. even minor seizures may pose some hazard to the developing embryo or fetus [see warnings and precautions (5.4)] . however, discontinuation of the drug may be considered prior to and during pregnancy in individual cases if the seizure disorder severity and frequency do not pose a serious threat to the patient. maternal adverse reactions pregnant women taking valproate may develop clotting abnormalities including thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, and/or decrease in other coagulation factors, which may result in hemorrhagic complications in the neonate including death [see warnings and precautions (5.8)] . if valproate is used in pregnancy, the clotting parameters should be monitored carefully in the mother. if abnormal in the mother, then these parameters should also be monitored in the neonate. patients taking valproate may develop hepatic failure [see  boxed warning and warnings and precautions (5.1)] . fatal cases of hepatic failure in infants exposed to valproate in utero have also been reported following maternal use of valproate during pregnancy.  hypoglycemia has been reported in neonates whose mothers have taken valproate during pregnancy. data human  neural tube defects and other structural abnormalities  there is an extensive body of evidence demonstrating that exposure to valproate in utero increases the risk of neural tube defects and other structural abnormalities. based on published data from the cdc’s national birth defects prevention network, the risk of spina bifida in the general population is about 0.06 to 0.07% (6 to 7 in 10,000 births) compared to the risk following in utero valproate exposure estimated to be approximately 1 to 2% (100 to 200 in 10,000 births). the naaed pregnancy registry has reported a major malformation rate of 9 to 11% in the offspring of women exposed to an average of 1,000 mg/day of valproate monotherapy during pregnancy. these data show an up to a five-fold increased risk for any major malformation following valproate exposure in utero compared to the risk following exposure in utero to other aeds taken as monotherapy. the major congenital malformations included cases of neural tube defects, cardiovascular malformations, craniofacial defects (e.g., oral clefts, craniosynostosis), hypospadias, limb malformations (e.g., clubfoot, polydactyly), and other malformations of varying severity involving other body systems [see warnings and precautions (5.2)] .  effect on iq and neurodevelopmental effects published epidemiological studies have indicated that children exposed to valproate in utero have lower iq scores than children exposed to either another aed in utero or to no aeds in utero . the largest of these studies 1 is a prospective cohort study conducted in the united states and united kingdom that found that children with prenatal exposure to valproate (n=62) had lower iq scores at age 6 (97 [95% c.i. 94 to 101]) than children with prenatal exposure to the other anti-epileptic drug monotherapy treatments evaluated: lamotrigine (108 [95% c.i. 105 to 110]), carbamazepine (105 [95% c.i. 102 to 108]) and phenytoin (108 [95% c.i. 104 to 112]). it is not known when during pregnancy cognitive effects in valproate-exposed children occur. because the women in this study were exposed to aeds throughout pregnancy, whether the risk for decreased iq was related to a particular time period during pregnancy could not be assessed [see warnings and precautions (5.3)] . although the available studies have methodological limitations, the weight of the evidence supports a causal association between valproate exposure in utero and subsequent adverse effects on neurodevelopment, including increases in autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adhd). an observational study has suggested that exposure to valproate products during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorders. in this study, children born to mothers who had used valproate products during pregnancy had 2.9 times the risk (95% confidence interval [ci]: 1.7 to 4.9) of developing autism spectrum disorders compared to children born to mothers not exposed to valproate products during pregnancy. the absolute risks for autism spectrum disorders were 4.4% (95% ci: 2.6% to 7.5%) in valproate-exposed children and 1.5% (95% ci: 1.5% to 1.6%) in children not exposed to valproate products. another observational study found that children who were exposed to valproate in utero had an increased risk of adhd (adjusted hr 1.48; 95% ci, 1.09 to 2.00) compared with the unexposed children. because these studies were observational in nature, conclusions regarding a causal association between in utero valproate exposure and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder and adhd cannot be considered definitive. other  there are published case reports of fatal hepatic failure in offspring of women who used valproate during pregnancy. animal in developmental toxicity studies conducted in mice, rats, rabbits, and monkeys, increased rates of fetal structural abnormalities, intrauterine growth retardation, and embryo-fetal death occurred following administration of valproate to pregnant animals during organogenesis at clinically relevant doses (calculated on a body surface area [mg/m 2 ] basis). valproate induced malformations of multiple organ systems, including skeletal, cardiac, and urogenital defects. in mice, in addition to other malformations, fetal neural tube defects have been reported following valproate administration during critical periods of organogenesis, and the teratogenic response correlated with peak maternal drug levels. behavioral abnormalities (including cognitive, locomotor, and social interaction deficits) and brain histopathological changes have also been reported in mice and rat offspring exposed prenatally to clinically relevant doses of valproate. risk summary valproate is excreted in human milk. data in the published literature describe the presence of valproate in human milk (range: 0.4 mcg/ml to 3.9 mcg/ml), corresponding to 1% to 10% of maternal serum levels. valproate serum concentrations collected from breastfed infants aged 3 days postnatal to 12 weeks following delivery ranged from 0.7 mcg/ml to 4 mcg/ml, which were 1% to 6% of maternal serum valproate levels. a published study in children up to six years of age did not report adverse developmental or cognitive effects following exposure to valproate via breast milk [see data (human)] . there are no data to assess the effects of divalproex sodium on milk production or excretion. clinical considerations the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for divalproex sodium and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from divalproex sodium or from the underlying maternal condition. monitor the breastfed infant for signs of liver damage including jaundice and unusual bruising or bleeding. there have been reports of hepatic failure and clotting abnormalities in offspring of women who used valproate during pregnancy [see use in specific populations (8.1)] . data human in a published study, breast milk and maternal blood samples were obtained from 11 epilepsy patients taking valproate at doses ranging from 300 mg/day to 2,400 mg/day on postnatal days 3 to 6. in 4 patients who were taking valproate only, breast milk contained an average valproate concentration of 1.8 mcg/ml (range: 1.1 mcg/ml to 2.2 mcg/ml), which corresponded to 4.8% of the maternal plasma concentration (range: 2.7% to 7.4%). across all patients (7 of whom were taking other aeds concomitantly), similar results were obtained for breast milk concentration (1.8 mcg/ml, range: 0.4 mcg/ml to 3.9 mcg/ml) and maternal plasma ratio (5.1%, range: 1.3% to 9.6%). a published study of 6 breastfeeding mother-infant pairs measured serum valproate levels during maternal treatment for bipolar disorder (750 mg/day or 1,000 mg/day). none of the mothers received valproate during pregnancy, and infants were aged from 4 weeks to 19 weeks at the time of evaluation. infant serum levels ranged from 0.7 mcg/ml to 1.5 mcg/ml. with maternal serum valproate levels near or within the therapeutic range, infant exposure was 0.9% to 2.3% of maternal levels. similarly, in 2 published case reports with maternal doses of 500 mg/day or 750 mg/day during breastfeeding of infants aged 3 months and 1 month, infant exposure was 1.5% and 6% that of the mother, respectively. a prospective observational multicenter study evaluated the long-term neurodevelopmental effects of aed use on children. pregnant women receiving monotherapy for epilepsy were enrolled with assessments of their children at ages 3 years and 6 years. mothers continued aed therapy during the breastfeeding period. adjusted iqs measured at 3 years for breastfed and non-breastfed children were 93 (n=11) and 90 (n=24), respectively. at 6 years, the scores for breastfed and non-breastfed children were 106 (n=11) and 94 (n=25), respectively (p=0.04). for other cognitive domains evaluated at 6 years, no adverse cognitive effects of continued exposure to an aed (including valproate) via breast milk were observed. contraception women of childbearing potential should use effective contraception while taking valproate [see boxed warning, warnings and precautions (5.4), drug interactions (7), and u se in specific populations (8.1)] . this is especially important when valproate use is considered for a condition not usually associated with permanent injury or death such as prophylaxis of migraine headaches [see contraindications (4)] . infertility there have been reports of male infertility coincident with valproate therapy [see adverse reactions (6.4)] .  in animal studies, oral administration of valproate at clinically relevant doses resulted in adverse reproductive effects in males [see nonclinical toxicology (13.1)] .   experience has indicated that pediatric patients under the age of two years are at a considerably increased risk of developing fatal hepatotoxicity, especially those with the aforementioned conditions [see boxed warning and  warnings and precautions (5.1)] . when divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are used in this patient group, it should be used with extreme caution and as a sole agent. the benefits of therapy should be weighed against the risks. above the age of 2 years, experience in epilepsy has indicated that the incidence of fatal hepatotoxicity decreases considerably in progressively older patient groups. younger children, especially those receiving enzyme inducing drugs, will require larger maintenance doses to attain targeted total and unbound valproate concentrations. pediatric patients (i.e., between 3 months and 10 years) have 50% higher clearances expressed on weight (i.e., ml/min/kg) than do adults. over the age of 10 years, children have pharmacokinetic parameters that approximate those of adults. the variability in free fraction limits the clinical usefulness of monitoring total serum valproic acid concentrations. interpretation of valproic acid concentrations in children should include consideration of factors that affect hepatic metabolism and protein binding. pediatric clinical trials divalproex sodium was studied in seven pediatric clinical trials. two of the pediatric studies were double-blinded placebo-controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for the indications of mania (150 patients aged 10 to 17 years, 76 of whom were on divalproex sodium extended-release tablets) and migraine (304 patients aged 12 to 17 years, 231 of whom were on divalproex sodium extended-release tablets). efficacy was not established for either the treatment of migraine or the treatment of mania.  the most common drug-related adverse reactions (reported >5% and twice the rate of placebo) reported in the controlled pediatric mania study were nausea, upper abdominal pain, somnolence, increased ammonia, gastritis and rash. the remaining five trials were long term safety studies. two six-month pediatric studies were conducted to evaluate the long-term safety of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for the indication of mania (292 patients aged 10 to 17 years). two twelve-month pediatric studies were conducted to evaluate the long-term safety of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for the indication of migraine (353 patients aged 12 to 17 years). one twelve-month study was conducted to evaluate the safety of divalproex sodium sprinkle capsules in the indication of partial seizures (169 patients aged 3 to 10 years).  in these seven clinical trials, the safety and tolerability of divalproex sodium in pediatric patients were shown to be comparable to those in adults [see adverse reactions (6)] . juvenile animal toxicology in studies of valproate in immature animals, toxic effects not observed in adult animals included retinal dysplasia in rats treated during the neonatal period (from postnatal day 4) and nephrotoxicity in rats treated during the neonatal and juvenile (from postnatal day 14) periods. the no-effect dose for these findings was less than the maximum recommended human dose on a mg/m 2 basis. no patients above the age of 65 years were enrolled in double-blind prospective clinical trials of mania associated with bipolar illness. in a case review study of 583 patients, 72 patients (12%) were greater than 65 years of age. a higher percentage of patients above 65 years of age reported accidental injury, infection, pain, somnolence, and tremor. discontinuation of valproate was occasionally associated with the latter two events. it is not clear whether these events indicate additional risk or whether they result from preexisting medical illness and concomitant medication use among these patients.  a study of elderly patients with dementia revealed drug related somnolence and discontinuation for somnolence [see warnings and precautions (5.14)] . the starting dose should be reduced in these patients, and dosage reductions or discontinuation should be considered in patients with excessive somnolence [see dosage and administration (2.5)] . there is insufficient information available to discern the safety and effectiveness of valproate for the prophylaxis of migraines in patients over 65. the capacity of elderly patients (age range: 68 to 89 years) to eliminate valproate has been shown to be reduced compared to younger adults (age range: 22 to 26 years) [see clinical pharmacology (12.3)] . liver disease liver disease impairs the capacity to eliminate valproate   [see boxed warning , contraindications (4) , warnings and precautions (5.1) , and  clinical pharmacology (12.3) ] .

United States - English - NLM (National Library of Medicine)

remedyrepack inc. - escitalopram oxalate (unii: 5u85dbw7lo) (escitalopram - unii:4o4s742any) - escitalopram tablet is indicated for the treatment of: - major depressive disorder (mdd) in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. - generalized anxiety disorder (gad) in adults. additional pediatric use information is approved for abbvie inc.’s lexapro (escitalopram) tablets and lexapro (escitalopram) oral solution. however, due to abbvie inc.’s marketing exclusivity rights, this drug product is not labeled with that information. escitalopram tablet is contraindicated in patients: - taking maois with escitalopram tablets or within 14 days of stopping treatment with escitalopram tablets because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome. the use of escitalopram tablets within 14 days of stopping an maoi intended to treat psychiatric disorders is also contraindicated [see dosage and administration (2.7)and warnings and precautions (5.2)]. starting escitalopram tablets in a patient who is being treated with maois such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue is also contraindicated because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome [see dosage and administration (2.6), and warnings and precautions (5.2)]. - taking pimozide [see drug interactions (7)]. - with a hypersensitivity to escitalopram or citalopram or any of the inactive ingredients in escitalopram tablets. pregnancy exposure registry there is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. healthcare providers are encouraged to register patients by calling the national pregnancy registry for antidepressants at 1-844-405-6185 or visiting online at https://womensmentalhealth.org/clnical-and-research-programs/pregnancyregistry/antidepressants/ risk summary based on data from published observational studies, exposure to ssris, particularly in the month before delivery, has been associated with a less than 2-fold increase in the risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions ( 5.7) and clinical considerations]. available data from published epidemiologic studies and postmarketing reports have not established an increased risk of major birth defects or miscarriage. there are risks of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (pphn) (see data) and poor neonatal adaptation (see clinical considerations) with exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ssris), including escitalopram oxalate, during pregnancy. there are risks associated with untreated depression in pregnancy (see clinical considerations). in animal reproduction studies, both escitalopram and racemic citalopram have been shown to have adverse effects on embryo/fetal and postnatal development, including fetal structural abnormalities, when administered at doses greater than human therapeutic doses (see data). the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. all pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. in the u.s. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in the clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. clinical considerations disease-associated maternal risk and/or embryo/fetal risk women who discontinue antidepressants are more likely to experience a relapse of major depression than women who continue antidepressants. this finding is from a prospective longitudinal study of 201 pregnant women with a history of major depression, who were euthymic and taking antidepressants at the beginning of pregnancy. consider the risk of untreated depression when discontinuing or changing treatment with antidepressant medication during pregnancy and postpartum. maternal adverse reactions use of escitalopram oxalate in the month before delivery may be associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions ( 5.7)]. fetal/neonatal adverse reactions neonates exposed to ssris or snris, including escitalopram oxalate, late in third trimester have developed complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding. such complications can arise immediately upon delivery. reported clinical findings have included respiratory distress, cyanosis, apnea, seizures, temperature instability, feeding difficulty, vomiting, hypoglycemia, hypotonia, hypertonia, hyperreflexia, tremor, jitteriness, irritability, and constant crying. these features are consistent with either a direct toxic effect of ssris and snris or, possibly, a drug discontinuation syndrome. it should be noted that, in some cases, the clinical picture is consistent with serotonin syndrome [see warnings and precautions ( 5.2)]. data human data exposure to ssris, particularly later in pregnancy, may increase the risk for pphn. pphn occurs in 1 to 2 per 1000 live births in the general populations and is associated with substantial neonatal morbidity and mortality. animal data in a rat embryo/fetal development study, oral administration of escitalopram (56, 112, or 150 mg/kg/day) to pregnant animals during the period of organogenesis resulted in decreased fetal body weight and associated delays in ossification at the two higher doses [approximately ≥ 55 times the maximum recommended human dose (mrhd) of 20 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis]. maternal toxicity (clinical signs and decreased body weight gain and food consumption), mild at 56 mg/kg/day, was present at all dose levels. the developmental no-effect dose of 56 mg/kg/day is approximately 27 times the mrhd of 20 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. no malformations were observed at any of the doses tested (as high as 73 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). when female rats were treated with escitalopram (6, 12, 24, or 48 mg/kg/day) during pregnancy and through weaning, slightly increased offspring mortality and growth retardation were noted at 48 mg/kg/day which is approximately 23 times the mrhd of 20 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. slight maternal toxicity (clinical signs and decreased body weight gain and food consumption) was seen at this dose. slightly increased offspring mortality was also seen at 24 mg/kg/day. the no-effect dose was 12 mg/kg/day which is approximately 6 times the mrhd of 20 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. in two rat embryo/fetal development studies, oral administration of racemic citalopram (32, 56, or 112 mg/kg/day) to pregnant animals during the period of organogenesis resulted in decreased embryo/fetal growth and survival and an increased incidence of fetal abnormalities (including cardiovascular and skeletal defects) at the high dose, which is approximately 18 times the mrhd of 60 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis. this dose was also associated with maternal toxicity (clinical signs, decreased body weight gain). the developmental no-effect dose was 56 mg/kg/day is approximately 9 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. in a rabbit study, no adverse effects on embryo/fetal development were observed at doses of racemic citalopram of up to 16 mg/kg/day, or approximately 5 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. thus, developmental effects of racemic citalopram were observed at a maternally toxic dose in the rat and were not observed in the rabbit. when female rats were treated with racemic citalopram (4.8, 12.8, or 32 mg/kg/day) from late gestation through weaning, increased offspring mortality during the first 4 days after birth and persistent offspring growth retardation were observed at the highest dose, which is approximately 5 times the mrhd of 60 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. the no-effect dose was 12.8 mg/kg/day is approximately 2 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. similar effects on offspring mortality and growth were seen when dams were treated throughout gestation and early lactation at doses ≥ 24 mg/kg/day, approximately 4 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. a no-effect dose was not determined in that study. risk summary data from the published literature report the presence of escitalopram and desmethylescitalopram in human milk (see data) . there are reports of excessive sedation, restlessness, agitation, poor feeding and poor weight gain in infants exposed to escitalopram, through breast milk (see clinical considerations) . there are no data on the effects of escitalopram or its metabolites on milk production. the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for escitalopram oxalate and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from escitalopram oxalate or from the underlying maternal condition. clinical considerations infants exposed to escitalopram oxalate should be monitored for excess sedation, restlessness, agitation, poor feeding and poor weight gain. data a study of 8 nursing mothers on escitalopram with daily doses of 10 to 20 mg/day showed that exclusively breast-fed infants receive approximately 3.9% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose of escitalopram and 1.7% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose of desmethylcitalopram. major depressive disorder the safety and effectiveness of escitalopram oxalate for the treatment of major depressive disorder have been established in pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. use of escitalopram oxalate for this indication is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies in adults with additional evidence from an 8-week, flexible-dose, placebo-controlled study that compared escitalopram oxalate 10 mg to 20 mg once daily to placebo in pediatric patients 12 to 17 years of age with major depressive disorder [see clinical studies ( 14.1)]. the safety of escitalopram oxalate was similar to adult patients with mdd [see adverse reactions ( 6.1)]. the safety and effectiveness of escitalopram oxalate for the treatment of major depressive disorder have not been established in pediatric patients younger than 12 years of age. in a 24-week, open- label safety study in 118 pediatric patient (aged 7 to 11 years) who had major depressive disorder, the safety findings were consistent with the known safety and tolerability profile for escitalopram oxalate. generalized anxiety disorder the safety and effectiveness of escitalopram oxalate for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder have not been established in pediatric patients younger than 7 years of age. antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in pediatric patients [see warnings and precautions ( 5.1)]. decreased appetite and weight loss have been observed in association with the use of ssris. consequently, regular monitoring of weight and growth should be performed in children and adolescents treated with an ssri such as escitalopram oxalate. juvenile animal toxicity data in a juvenile animal study, male and female rats were administered escitalopram at 5, 40, or 80 mg/kg/day by oral gavage from postnatal day (pnd) 21 to pnd 69. a delay in sexual maturation was observed in both males and females at ≥ 40 mg/kg/day with a no observed adverse effect level (noael) of 5 mg/kg/day. this noael was associated with plasma auc levels less than those measured at the maximum recommended dose (mrhd) in pediatrics (20 mg). however, there was no effect on reproductive function. increased motor activity (both ambulatory and fine movements) was observed in females prior to daily dosing at ≥ 40 mg/kg/day (3.5 times the mrhd based on auc levels). a reversible disruption of learning and memory function was observed in males at 80 mg/kg/day with a noael of 40 mg/kg/day, which was associated with an auc level 3.5 times those measured at the mrhd in pediatrics. there was no effect on learning and memory function in treated female rats. additional pediatric use information is approved for abbvie inc.’s lexapro (escitalopram) tablets and lexapro (escitalopram) oral solution. however, due to abbvie inc.’s marketing exclusivity rights, this drug product is not labeled with that information. approximately 69 patients (6%) of the 1,144 patients receiving escitalopram in controlled trials of escitalopram oxalate in major depressive disorder and gad were 60 years of age or older [see clinical studies ( 14.1, 14.2)]. the number of elderly patients in these trials was insufficient to adequately assess for possible differential efficacy and safety measures on the basis of age. nevertheless, greater sensitivity of some elderly individuals to effects of escitalopram oxalate cannot be ruled out. in two pharmacokinetic studies, escitalopram half-life was increased by approximately 50% in subjects 65 years and older as compared to young subjects and cmax was unchanged [see clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. the recommended dosage of escitalopram oxalate for elderly patients is 10 mg daily [see dosage and administration ( 2.5)]. ssris, including escitalopram oxalate, have been associated with cases of clinically significant hyponatremia in elderly patients, who may be at greater risk for this adverse reaction [see warnings and precautions ( 5.6)]. of 4,422 patients in clinical studies of racemic citalopram, 1,357 were 60 and over, 1,034 were 65 and over, and 457 were 75 and over. no overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the geriatric and younger patients, but again, greater sensitivity of some elderly individuals cannot be ruled out. increased citalopram exposure occurs in patients with hepatic impairment [see clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. the recommended dosage of escitalopram oxalate in patients with hepatic impairment is 10 mg daily [see dosage and administration ( 2.5)]. pharmacokinetics of escitalopram oxalate in patients with a creatinine clearance less than 20 ml/minute has not been evaluated. no dosage adjustment is necessary for patients with mild or moderate renal impairment [see dosage and administration ( 2.5), clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. physical and psychological dependence animal studies suggest that the abuse liability of racemic citalopram is low. escitalopram oxalate has not been systematically studied in humans for its potential for abuse, tolerance, or physical dependence. the premarketing clinical experience with escitalopram oxalate did not reveal any drug-seeking behavior. however, these observations were not systematic and it is not possible to predict on the basis of this limited experience the extent to which a cns-active drug will be misused, diverted, and/or abused once marketed. consequently, physicians should carefully evaluate escitalopram oxalate patients for history of drug abuse and follow such patients closely, observing them for signs of misuse or abuse (e.g., development of tolerance, incrementations of dose, drug-seeking behavior).

United States - English - NLM (National Library of Medicine)

remedyrepack inc. - escitalopram oxalate (unii: 5u85dbw7lo) (escitalopram - unii:4o4s742any) - escitalopram tablet is indicated for the treatment of: - major depressive disorder (mdd) in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. - generalized anxiety disorder (gad) in adults. additional pediatric use information is approved for abbvie inc.’s lexapro (escitalopram) tablets and lexapro (escitalopram) oral solution. however, due to abbvie inc.’s marketing exclusivity rights, this drug product is not labeled with that information. escitalopram tablet is contraindicated in patients: - taking maois with escitalopram tablets or within 14 days of stopping treatment with escitalopram tablets because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome. the use of escitalopram tablets within 14 days of stopping an maoi intended to treat psychiatric disorders is also contraindicated [see dosage and administration (2.7)and warnings and precautions (5.2)]. starting escitalopram tablets in a patient who is being treated with maois such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue is also contraindicated because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome [see dosage and administration (2.6), and warnings and precautions (5.2)]. - taking pimozide [see drug interactions (7)]. - with a hypersensitivity to escitalopram or citalopram or any of the inactive ingredients in escitalopram tablets. pregnancy exposure registry there is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. healthcare providers are encouraged to register patients by calling the national pregnancy registry for antidepressants at 1-844-405-6185 or visiting online at https://womensmentalhealth.org/clnical-and-research-programs/pregnancyregistry/antidepressants/ risk summary based on data from published observational studies, exposure to ssris, particularly in the month before delivery, has been associated with a less than 2-fold increase in the risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions ( 5.7) and clinical considerations]. available data from published epidemiologic studies and postmarketing reports have not established an increased risk of major birth defects or miscarriage. there are risks of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (pphn) (see data) and poor neonatal adaptation (see clinical considerations) with exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ssris), including escitalopram oxalate, during pregnancy. there are risks associated with untreated depression in pregnancy (see clinical considerations). in animal reproduction studies, both escitalopram and racemic citalopram have been shown to have adverse effects on embryo/fetal and postnatal development, including fetal structural abnormalities, when administered at doses greater than human therapeutic doses (see data). the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. all pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. in the u.s. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in the clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. clinical considerations disease-associated maternal risk and/or embryo/fetal risk women who discontinue antidepressants are more likely to experience a relapse of major depression than women who continue antidepressants. this finding is from a prospective longitudinal study of 201 pregnant women with a history of major depression, who were euthymic and taking antidepressants at the beginning of pregnancy. consider the risk of untreated depression when discontinuing or changing treatment with antidepressant medication during pregnancy and postpartum. maternal adverse reactions use of escitalopram oxalate in the month before delivery may be associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions ( 5.7)]. fetal/neonatal adverse reactions neonates exposed to ssris or snris, including escitalopram oxalate, late in third trimester have developed complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding. such complications can arise immediately upon delivery. reported clinical findings have included respiratory distress, cyanosis, apnea, seizures, temperature instability, feeding difficulty, vomiting, hypoglycemia, hypotonia, hypertonia, hyperreflexia, tremor, jitteriness, irritability, and constant crying. these features are consistent with either a direct toxic effect of ssris and snris or, possibly, a drug discontinuation syndrome. it should be noted that, in some cases, the clinical picture is consistent with serotonin syndrome [see warnings and precautions ( 5.2)]. data human data exposure to ssris, particularly later in pregnancy, may increase the risk for pphn. pphn occurs in 1 to 2 per 1000 live births in the general populations and is associated with substantial neonatal morbidity and mortality. animal data in a rat embryo/fetal development study, oral administration of escitalopram (56, 112, or 150 mg/kg/day) to pregnant animals during the period of organogenesis resulted in decreased fetal body weight and associated delays in ossification at the two higher doses [approximately ≥ 55 times the maximum recommended human dose (mrhd) of 20 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis]. maternal toxicity (clinical signs and decreased body weight gain and food consumption), mild at 56 mg/kg/day, was present at all dose levels. the developmental no-effect dose of 56 mg/kg/day is approximately 27 times the mrhd of 20 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. no malformations were observed at any of the doses tested (as high as 73 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). when female rats were treated with escitalopram (6, 12, 24, or 48 mg/kg/day) during pregnancy and through weaning, slightly increased offspring mortality and growth retardation were noted at 48 mg/kg/day which is approximately 23 times the mrhd of 20 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. slight maternal toxicity (clinical signs and decreased body weight gain and food consumption) was seen at this dose. slightly increased offspring mortality was also seen at 24 mg/kg/day. the no-effect dose was 12 mg/kg/day which is approximately 6 times the mrhd of 20 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. in two rat embryo/fetal development studies, oral administration of racemic citalopram (32, 56, or 112 mg/kg/day) to pregnant animals during the period of organogenesis resulted in decreased embryo/fetal growth and survival and an increased incidence of fetal abnormalities (including cardiovascular and skeletal defects) at the high dose, which is approximately 18 times the mrhd of 60 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis. this dose was also associated with maternal toxicity (clinical signs, decreased body weight gain). the developmental no-effect dose was 56 mg/kg/day is approximately 9 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. in a rabbit study, no adverse effects on embryo/fetal development were observed at doses of racemic citalopram of up to 16 mg/kg/day, or approximately 5 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. thus, developmental effects of racemic citalopram were observed at a maternally toxic dose in the rat and were not observed in the rabbit. when female rats were treated with racemic citalopram (4.8, 12.8, or 32 mg/kg/day) from late gestation through weaning, increased offspring mortality during the first 4 days after birth and persistent offspring growth retardation were observed at the highest dose, which is approximately 5 times the mrhd of 60 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. the no-effect dose was 12.8 mg/kg/day is approximately 2 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. similar effects on offspring mortality and growth were seen when dams were treated throughout gestation and early lactation at doses ≥ 24 mg/kg/day, approximately 4 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. a no-effect dose was not determined in that study. risk summary data from the published literature report the presence of escitalopram and desmethylescitalopram in human milk (see data) . there are reports of excessive sedation, restlessness, agitation, poor feeding and poor weight gain in infants exposed to escitalopram, through breast milk (see clinical considerations) . there are no data on the effects of escitalopram or its metabolites on milk production. the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for escitalopram oxalate and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from escitalopram oxalate or from the underlying maternal condition. clinical considerations infants exposed to escitalopram oxalate should be monitored for excess sedation, restlessness, agitation, poor feeding and poor weight gain. data a study of 8 nursing mothers on escitalopram with daily doses of 10 to 20 mg/day showed that exclusively breast-fed infants receive approximately 3.9% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose of escitalopram and 1.7% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose of desmethylcitalopram. major depressive disorder the safety and effectiveness of escitalopram oxalate for the treatment of major depressive disorder have been established in pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. use of escitalopram oxalate for this indication is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies in adults with additional evidence from an 8-week, flexible-dose, placebo-controlled study that compared escitalopram oxalate 10 mg to 20 mg once daily to placebo in pediatric patients 12 to 17 years of age with major depressive disorder [see clinical studies ( 14.1)]. the safety of escitalopram oxalate was similar to adult patients with mdd [see adverse reactions ( 6.1)]. the safety and effectiveness of escitalopram oxalate for the treatment of major depressive disorder have not been established in pediatric patients younger than 12 years of age. in a 24-week, open- label safety study in 118 pediatric patient (aged 7 to 11 years) who had major depressive disorder, the safety findings were consistent with the known safety and tolerability profile for escitalopram oxalate. generalized anxiety disorder the safety and effectiveness of escitalopram oxalate for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder have not been established in pediatric patients younger than 7 years of age. antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in pediatric patients [see warnings and precautions ( 5.1)]. decreased appetite and weight loss have been observed in association with the use of ssris. consequently, regular monitoring of weight and growth should be performed in children and adolescents treated with an ssri such as escitalopram oxalate. juvenile animal toxicity data in a juvenile animal study, male and female rats were administered escitalopram at 5, 40, or 80 mg/kg/day by oral gavage from postnatal day (pnd) 21 to pnd 69. a delay in sexual maturation was observed in both males and females at ≥ 40 mg/kg/day with a no observed adverse effect level (noael) of 5 mg/kg/day. this noael was associated with plasma auc levels less than those measured at the maximum recommended dose (mrhd) in pediatrics (20 mg). however, there was no effect on reproductive function. increased motor activity (both ambulatory and fine movements) was observed in females prior to daily dosing at ≥ 40 mg/kg/day (3.5 times the mrhd based on auc levels). a reversible disruption of learning and memory function was observed in males at 80 mg/kg/day with a noael of 40 mg/kg/day, which was associated with an auc level 3.5 times those measured at the mrhd in pediatrics. there was no effect on learning and memory function in treated female rats. additional pediatric use information is approved for abbvie inc.’s lexapro (escitalopram) tablets and lexapro (escitalopram) oral solution. however, due to abbvie inc.’s marketing exclusivity rights, this drug product is not labeled with that information. approximately 69 patients (6%) of the 1,144 patients receiving escitalopram in controlled trials of escitalopram oxalate in major depressive disorder and gad were 60 years of age or older [see clinical studies ( 14.1, 14.2)]. the number of elderly patients in these trials was insufficient to adequately assess for possible differential efficacy and safety measures on the basis of age. nevertheless, greater sensitivity of some elderly individuals to effects of escitalopram oxalate cannot be ruled out. in two pharmacokinetic studies, escitalopram half-life was increased by approximately 50% in subjects 65 years and older as compared to young subjects and cmax was unchanged [see clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. the recommended dosage of escitalopram oxalate for elderly patients is 10 mg daily [see dosage and administration ( 2.5)]. ssris, including escitalopram oxalate, have been associated with cases of clinically significant hyponatremia in elderly patients, who may be at greater risk for this adverse reaction [see warnings and precautions ( 5.6)]. of 4,422 patients in clinical studies of racemic citalopram, 1,357 were 60 and over, 1,034 were 65 and over, and 457 were 75 and over. no overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the geriatric and younger patients, but again, greater sensitivity of some elderly individuals cannot be ruled out. increased citalopram exposure occurs in patients with hepatic impairment [see clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. the recommended dosage of escitalopram oxalate in patients with hepatic impairment is 10 mg daily [see dosage and administration ( 2.5)]. pharmacokinetics of escitalopram oxalate in patients with a creatinine clearance less than 20 ml/minute has not been evaluated. no dosage adjustment is necessary for patients with mild or moderate renal impairment [see dosage and administration ( 2.5), clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. physical and psychological dependence animal studies suggest that the abuse liability of racemic citalopram is low. escitalopram oxalate has not been systematically studied in humans for its potential for abuse, tolerance, or physical dependence. the premarketing clinical experience with escitalopram oxalate did not reveal any drug-seeking behavior. however, these observations were not systematic and it is not possible to predict on the basis of this limited experience the extent to which a cns-active drug will be misused, diverted, and/or abused once marketed. consequently, physicians should carefully evaluate escitalopram oxalate patients for history of drug abuse and follow such patients closely, observing them for signs of misuse or abuse (e.g., development of tolerance, incrementations of dose, drug-seeking behavior).

United States - English - NLM (National Library of Medicine)

remedyrepack inc. - sertraline hydrochloride (unii: uti8907y6x) (sertraline - unii:quc7nx6wmb) - sertraline hydrochloride tablets are indicated for the treatment of the following [see clinical studies ( 14)] : - major depressive disorder (mdd) - obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd) - panic disorder (pd) - posttraumatic stress disorder (ptsd) - social anxiety disorder (sad) - premenstrual dysphoric disorder (pmdd) sertraline hydrochloride tablets are contraindicated in patients: - taking, or within 14 days of stopping, maois, (including the maois linezolid and intravenous methylene blue) because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome [see warnings and precautions ( 5.2), drug interactions ( 7.1)] . - taking pimozide [see drug interactions ( 7.1)]. - with known hypersensitivity to sertraline (e.g., anaphylaxis, angioedema) [see adverse reactions ( 6.1, 6.2)] . pregnancy exposure registry there is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. healthcare providers should encourage patients to enroll by calling the national pregnancy registry for antidepressants at 1-866-961-2388 or visiting online at https://womensmentalhealth.org/research/pregnancyregistry/antidepressants . risk summary based on data from published observational studies, exposure to ssris, particularly in the month before delivery, has been associated with a less than 2-fold increase in the risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions ( 5.3) and clinical considerations] . overall, available published epidemiologic studies of pregnant women exposed to sertraline in the first trimester suggest no difference in major birth defect risk compared to the background rate for major birth defects in comparator populations. some studies have reported increases for specific major birth defects; however, these study results are inconclusive [see data]. there are clinical considerations regarding neonates exposed to ssris and snris, including sertraline hydrochloride, during the third trimester of pregnancy [see clinical considerations]. although no teratogenicity was observed in animal reproduction studies, delayed fetal ossification was observed when sertraline was administered during the period of organogenesis at doses less than the maximum recommended human dose (mrhd) in rats and doses 3.1 times the mrhd in rabbits on a mg/m 2 basis in adolescents. when sertraline was administered to female rats during the last third of gestation, there was an increase in the number of stillborn pups and pup deaths during the first four days after birth at the mrhd [see data]. the background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population are unknown. in the u.s. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. advise a pregnant woman of possible risks to the fetus when prescribing sertraline hydrochloride tablets. clinical considerations disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk: a prospective longitudinal study followed 201 pregnant women with a history of major depression who were euthymic taking antidepressants at the beginning of pregnancy. the women who discontinued antidepressants during pregnancy were more likely to experience a relapse of major depression than women who continued antidepressants. consider the risks of untreated depression when discontinuing or changing treatment with antidepressant medication during pregnancy and postpartum. maternal adverse reactions use of sertraline hydrochloride tablets in the month before delivery may be associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions ( 5.3)] . fetal/neonatal adverse reactions exposure to ssris and snris, including sertraline hydrochloride in late pregnancy may lead to an increased risk for neonatal complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding, and/or persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (pphn). when treating a pregnant woman with sertraline hydrochloride during the third trimester, carefully consider both the potential risks and benefits of treatment. monitor neonates who were exposed to sertraline hydrochloride in the third trimester of pregnancy for pphn and drug discontinuation syndrome [see data]. data human data: third trimester exposure neonates exposed to sertraline hydrochloride and other ssris or snris late in the third trimester have developed complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding. these findings are based on post-marketing reports. such complications can arise immediately upon delivery. reported clinical findings have included respiratory distress, cyanosis, apnea, seizures, temperature instability, feeding difficulty, vomiting, hypoglycemia, hypotonia, hypertonia, hyperreflexia, tremor, jitteriness, irritability, and constant crying. these features are consistent with either a direct toxic effect of ssris and snris or, possibly, a drug discontinuation syndrome. in some cases, the clinical picture was consistent with serotonin syndrome [see warnings and precautions ( 5.2)]. exposure during late pregnancy to ssris may have an increased risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (pphn). pphn occurs in 1 to 2 per 1,000 live births in the general population and is associated with substantial neonatal morbidity and mortality. in a retrospective case-control study of 377 women whose infants were born with pphn and 836 women whose infants were born healthy, the risk for developing pphn was approximately six-fold higher for infants exposed to ssris after the 20 th week of gestation compared to infants who had not been exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. a study of 831,324 infants born in sweden in 1997 to 2005 found a pphn risk ratio of 2.4 (95% ci 1.2 to 4.3) associated with patient-reported maternal use of ssris "in early pregnancy" and a pphn risk ratio of 3.6 (95% ci 1.2 to 8.3) associated with a combination of patient-reported maternal use of ssris "in early pregnancy" and an antenatal ssri prescription "in later pregnancy". first trimester exposure the weight of evidence from epidemiologic studies of pregnant women exposed to sertraline in the first trimester suggest no difference in major birth defect risk compared to the background rate for major birth defects in pregnant women who were not exposed to sertraline. a meta-analysis of studies suggest no increase in the risk of total malformations (summary odds ratio=1.01, 95% ci=0.88 to 1.17) or cardiac malformations (summary odds ratio=0.93, 95% ci=0.70 to 1.23) among offspring of women with first trimester exposure to sertraline. an increased risk of congenital cardiac defects, specifically septal defects, the most common type of congenital heart defect, was observed in some published epidemiologic studies with first trimester sertraline exposure; however, most of these studies were limited by the use of comparison populations that did not allow for the control of confounders such as the underlying depression and associated conditions and behaviors, which may be factors associated with increased risk of these malformations. animal data: reproduction studies have been performed in rats and rabbits at doses up to 80 mg/kg/day and 40 mg/kg/day, respectively. these doses correspond to approximately 3.1 times the maximum recommended human dose (mrhd) of 200 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis in adolescents. there was no evidence of teratogenicity at any dose level. when pregnant rats and rabbits were given sertraline during the period of organogenesis, delayed ossification was observed in fetuses at doses of 10 mg/kg (0.4 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis) in rats and 40 mg/kg (3.1 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis) in rabbits. when female rats received sertraline during the last third of gestation and throughout lactation, there was an increase in stillborn pups and pup deaths during the first 4 days after birth. pup body weights were also decreased during the first four days after birth. these effects occurred at a dose of 20 mg/kg (0.8 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). the no effect dose for rat pup mortality was 10 mg/kg (0.4 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). the decrease in pup survival was shown to be due to in utero exposure to sertraline. the clinical significance of these effects is unknown. risk summary available data from published literature demonstrate low levels of sertraline and its metabolites in human milk [see data]. there are no data on the effects of sertraline on milk production. the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for sertraline hydrochloride tablets and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from the drug or from the underlying maternal condition. data in a published pooled analysis of 53 mother-infant pairs, exclusively human milk-fed infants had an average of 2% (range 0% to 15%) of the sertraline serum levels measured in their mothers. no adverse reactions were observed in these infants. the safety and efficacy of sertraline hydrochloride have been established in the treatment of ocd in pediatric patients aged 6 to 17 [see adverse reactions ( 6.1), clinical pharmacology ( 12.3), clinical studies ( 14.2)]. safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients in patients with ocd below the age of 6 have not been established. safety and effectiveness have not been established in pediatric patients for indications other than ocd. two placebo-controlled trials were conducted in pediatric patients with mdd, but the data were not sufficient to support an indication for use in pediatric patients. monitoring pediatric patients treated with sertraline hydrochloride monitor all patients being treated with antidepressants for clinical worsening, suicidal thoughts, and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the initial few months of treatment, or at times of dose increases or decreases [see boxed warning, warnings and precautions ( 5.1)]. decreased appetite and weight loss have been observed with the use of ssris. monitor weight and growth in pediatric patients treated with an ssri such as sertraline hydrochloride. weight loss in studies in pediatric patients with mdd in a pooled analysis of two 10-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, flexible dose (50 to 200 mg) outpatient trials for mdd (n=373), there was a difference in weight change between sertraline hydrochloride and placebo of roughly 1 kg, for both children (ages 6 to 11) and adolescents (ages 12 to 17), in both age groups representing a slight weight loss for the sertraline hydrochloride group compared to a slight gain for the placebo group. for children, about 7% of the sertraline hydrochloride-treated patients had a weight loss greater than 7% of body weight compared to 0% of the placebo-treated patients; for adolescents, about 2% of sertraline hydrochloride-treated patients had a weight loss > 7% of body weight compared to about 1% of placebo-treated patients. a subset of patients who completed the randomized controlled trials in patients with mdd (sertraline hydrochloride n=99, placebo n=122) were continued into a 24-week, flexible-dose, open-label, extension study. those subjects who completed 34 weeks of sertraline hydrochloride treatment (10 weeks in a placebo-controlled trial + 24 weeks open-label, n=68) had weight gain that was similar to that expected using data from age-adjusted peers. however, there are no studies that directly evaluate the long-term effects of sertraline hydrochloride on the growth, development, and maturation in pediatric patients. juvenile animal data a study conducted in juvenile rats at clinically relevant doses showed delay in sexual maturation, but there was no effect on fertility in either males or females. in this study in which juvenile rats were treated with oral doses of sertraline at 0, 10, 40 or 80 mg/kg/day from postnatal day 21 to 56, a delay in sexual maturation was observed in males treated with 80 mg/kg/day and females treated with doses ≥10 mg/kg/day. there was no effect on male and female reproductive endpoints or neurobehavioral development up to the highest dose tested (80 mg/kg/day), except a decrease in auditory startle response in females at 40 and 80 mg/kg/day at the end of treatment but not at the end of the drug–free period. the highest dose of 80 mg/kg/day produced plasma levels (auc) of sertraline 5 times those seen in pediatric patients (6 to 17 years of age) receiving the maximum recommended dose of sertraline (200 mg/day). of the total number of patients in clinical studies of sertraline hydrochloride in patients with mdd, ocd, pd, ptsd, sad and pmdd, 797 (17%) were ≥ 65 years old, while 197 (4%) were ≥ 75 years old. no overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. in general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be conservative, usually starting at the low end of the dosing range, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy. in 354 geriatric subjects treated with sertraline hydrochloride in mdd placebo-controlled trials, the overall profile of adverse reactions was generally similar to that shown in table 3 [see adverse reactions ( 6.1)] , except for tinnitus, arthralgia with an incidence of at least 2% and at a rate greater than placebo in geriatric patients. snris and ssris, including sertraline hydrochloride, have been associated with cases of clinically significant hyponatremia in elderly patients, who may be at greater risk for this adverse reaction [see warnings and precautions ( 5.8)] . the recommended dosage in patients with mild hepatic impairment (child-pugh score 5 or 6) is half the recommended dosage due to increased exposure in this patient population. the use of sertraline hydrochloride in patients with moderate (child-pugh score 7 to 10) or severe hepatic impairment (child-pugh score 10 to 15) is not recommended, because sertraline hydrochloride is extensively metabolized, and the effects of sertraline hydrochloride in patients with moderate and severe hepatic impairment have not been studied [see dosage and administration ( 2.4), clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)] . no dose adjustment is needed in patients with mild to severe renal impairment. sertraline exposure does not appear to be affected by renal impairment [see clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. sertraline hydrochloride tablet contains sertraline, which is not a controlled substance. in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study of the comparative abuse liability of sertraline hydrochloride, alprazolam, and d-amphetamine in humans, sertraline hydrochloride did not produce the positive subjective effects indicative of abuse potential, such as euphoria or drug liking, that were observed with the other two drugs.

United States - English - NLM (National Library of Medicine)

remedyrepack inc. - escitalopram oxalate (unii: 5u85dbw7lo) (escitalopram - unii:4o4s742any) - escitalopram tablet is indicated for the treatment of: - major depressive disorder (mdd) in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. - generalized anxiety disorder (gad) in adults. additional pediatric use information is approved for abbvie inc.’s lexapro (escitalopram) tablets and lexapro (escitalopram) oral solution. however, due to abbvie inc.’s marketing exclusivity rights, this drug product is not labeled with that information. escitalopram tablet is contraindicated in patients: - taking maois with escitalopram tablets or within 14 days of stopping treatment with escitalopram tablets because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome. the use of escitalopram tablets within 14 days of stopping an maoi intended to treat psychiatric disorders is also contraindicated [see dosage and administration (2.7)and warnings and precautions (5.2)]. starting escitalopram tablets in a patient who is being treated with maois such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue is also contraindicated because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome [see dosage and administration (2.6), and warnings and precautions (5.2)]. - taking pimozide [see drug interactions (7)]. - with a hypersensitivity to escitalopram or citalopram or any of the inactive ingredients in escitalopram tablets. pregnancy exposure registry there is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. healthcare providers are encouraged to register patients by calling the national pregnancy registry for antidepressants at 1-844-405-6185 or visiting online at https://womensmentalhealth.org/clnical-and-research-programs/pregnancyregistry/antidepressants/ risk summary based on data from published observational studies, exposure to ssris, particularly in the month before delivery, has been associated with a less than 2-fold increase in the risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions ( 5.7) and clinical considerations]. available data from published epidemiologic studies and postmarketing reports have not established an increased risk of major birth defects or miscarriage. there are risks of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (pphn) (see data) and poor neonatal adaptation (see clinical considerations) with exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (ssris), including escitalopram oxalate, during pregnancy. there are risks associated with untreated depression in pregnancy (see clinical considerations). in animal reproduction studies, both escitalopram and racemic citalopram have been shown to have adverse effects on embryo/fetal and postnatal development, including fetal structural abnormalities, when administered at doses greater than human therapeutic doses (see data). the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. all pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. in the u.s. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in the clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. clinical considerations disease-associated maternal risk and/or embryo/fetal risk women who discontinue antidepressants are more likely to experience a relapse of major depression than women who continue antidepressants. this finding is from a prospective longitudinal study of 201 pregnant women with a history of major depression, who were euthymic and taking antidepressants at the beginning of pregnancy. consider the risk of untreated depression when discontinuing or changing treatment with antidepressant medication during pregnancy and postpartum. maternal adverse reactions use of escitalopram oxalate in the month before delivery may be associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage [see warnings and precautions ( 5.7)]. fetal/neonatal adverse reactions neonates exposed to ssris or snris, including escitalopram oxalate, late in third trimester have developed complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding. such complications can arise immediately upon delivery. reported clinical findings have included respiratory distress, cyanosis, apnea, seizures, temperature instability, feeding difficulty, vomiting, hypoglycemia, hypotonia, hypertonia, hyperreflexia, tremor, jitteriness, irritability, and constant crying. these features are consistent with either a direct toxic effect of ssris and snris or, possibly, a drug discontinuation syndrome. it should be noted that, in some cases, the clinical picture is consistent with serotonin syndrome [see warnings and precautions ( 5.2)]. data human data exposure to ssris, particularly later in pregnancy, may increase the risk for pphn. pphn occurs in 1 to 2 per 1000 live births in the general populations and is associated with substantial neonatal morbidity and mortality. animal data in a rat embryo/fetal development study, oral administration of escitalopram (56, 112, or 150 mg/kg/day) to pregnant animals during the period of organogenesis resulted in decreased fetal body weight and associated delays in ossification at the two higher doses [approximately ≥ 55 times the maximum recommended human dose (mrhd) of 20 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis]. maternal toxicity (clinical signs and decreased body weight gain and food consumption), mild at 56 mg/kg/day, was present at all dose levels. the developmental no-effect dose of 56 mg/kg/day is approximately 27 times the mrhd of 20 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. no malformations were observed at any of the doses tested (as high as 73 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis). when female rats were treated with escitalopram (6, 12, 24, or 48 mg/kg/day) during pregnancy and through weaning, slightly increased offspring mortality and growth retardation were noted at 48 mg/kg/day which is approximately 23 times the mrhd of 20 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. slight maternal toxicity (clinical signs and decreased body weight gain and food consumption) was seen at this dose. slightly increased offspring mortality was also seen at 24 mg/kg/day. the no-effect dose was 12 mg/kg/day which is approximately 6 times the mrhd of 20 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. in two rat embryo/fetal development studies, oral administration of racemic citalopram (32, 56, or 112 mg/kg/day) to pregnant animals during the period of organogenesis resulted in decreased embryo/fetal growth and survival and an increased incidence of fetal abnormalities (including cardiovascular and skeletal defects) at the high dose, which is approximately 18 times the mrhd of 60 mg/day on a mg/m 2 basis. this dose was also associated with maternal toxicity (clinical signs, decreased body weight gain). the developmental no-effect dose was 56 mg/kg/day is approximately 9 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. in a rabbit study, no adverse effects on embryo/fetal development were observed at doses of racemic citalopram of up to 16 mg/kg/day, or approximately 5 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. thus, developmental effects of racemic citalopram were observed at a maternally toxic dose in the rat and were not observed in the rabbit. when female rats were treated with racemic citalopram (4.8, 12.8, or 32 mg/kg/day) from late gestation through weaning, increased offspring mortality during the first 4 days after birth and persistent offspring growth retardation were observed at the highest dose, which is approximately 5 times the mrhd of 60 mg on a mg/m 2 basis. the no-effect dose was 12.8 mg/kg/day is approximately 2 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. similar effects on offspring mortality and growth were seen when dams were treated throughout gestation and early lactation at doses ≥ 24 mg/kg/day, approximately 4 times the mrhd on a mg/m 2 basis. a no-effect dose was not determined in that study. risk summary data from the published literature report the presence of escitalopram and desmethylescitalopram in human milk (see data) . there are reports of excessive sedation, restlessness, agitation, poor feeding and poor weight gain in infants exposed to escitalopram, through breast milk (see clinical considerations) . there are no data on the effects of escitalopram or its metabolites on milk production. the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for escitalopram oxalate and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from escitalopram oxalate or from the underlying maternal condition. clinical considerations infants exposed to escitalopram oxalate should be monitored for excess sedation, restlessness, agitation, poor feeding and poor weight gain. data a study of 8 nursing mothers on escitalopram with daily doses of 10 to 20 mg/day showed that exclusively breast-fed infants receive approximately 3.9% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose of escitalopram and 1.7% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose of desmethylcitalopram. major depressive disorder the safety and effectiveness of escitalopram oxalate for the treatment of major depressive disorder have been established in pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. use of escitalopram oxalate for this indication is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies in adults with additional evidence from an 8-week, flexible-dose, placebo-controlled study that compared escitalopram oxalate 10 mg to 20 mg once daily to placebo in pediatric patients 12 to 17 years of age with major depressive disorder [see clinical studies ( 14.1)]. the safety of escitalopram oxalate was similar to adult patients with mdd [see adverse reactions ( 6.1)]. the safety and effectiveness of escitalopram oxalate for the treatment of major depressive disorder have not been established in pediatric patients younger than 12 years of age. in a 24-week, open- label safety study in 118 pediatric patient (aged 7 to 11 years) who had major depressive disorder, the safety findings were consistent with the known safety and tolerability profile for escitalopram oxalate. generalized anxiety disorder the safety and effectiveness of escitalopram oxalate for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder have not been established in pediatric patients younger than 7 years of age. antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in pediatric patients [see warnings and precautions ( 5.1)]. decreased appetite and weight loss have been observed in association with the use of ssris. consequently, regular monitoring of weight and growth should be performed in children and adolescents treated with an ssri such as escitalopram oxalate. juvenile animal toxicity data in a juvenile animal study, male and female rats were administered escitalopram at 5, 40, or 80 mg/kg/day by oral gavage from postnatal day (pnd) 21 to pnd 69. a delay in sexual maturation was observed in both males and females at ≥ 40 mg/kg/day with a no observed adverse effect level (noael) of 5 mg/kg/day. this noael was associated with plasma auc levels less than those measured at the maximum recommended dose (mrhd) in pediatrics (20 mg). however, there was no effect on reproductive function. increased motor activity (both ambulatory and fine movements) was observed in females prior to daily dosing at ≥ 40 mg/kg/day (3.5 times the mrhd based on auc levels). a reversible disruption of learning and memory function was observed in males at 80 mg/kg/day with a noael of 40 mg/kg/day, which was associated with an auc level 3.5 times those measured at the mrhd in pediatrics. there was no effect on learning and memory function in treated female rats. additional pediatric use information is approved for abbvie inc.’s lexapro (escitalopram) tablets and lexapro (escitalopram) oral solution. however, due to abbvie inc.’s marketing exclusivity rights, this drug product is not labeled with that information. approximately 69 patients (6%) of the 1,144 patients receiving escitalopram in controlled trials of escitalopram oxalate in major depressive disorder and gad were 60 years of age or older [see clinical studies ( 14.1, 14.2)]. the number of elderly patients in these trials was insufficient to adequately assess for possible differential efficacy and safety measures on the basis of age. nevertheless, greater sensitivity of some elderly individuals to effects of escitalopram oxalate cannot be ruled out. in two pharmacokinetic studies, escitalopram half-life was increased by approximately 50% in subjects 65 years and older as compared to young subjects and cmax was unchanged [see clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. the recommended dosage of escitalopram oxalate for elderly patients is 10 mg daily [see dosage and administration ( 2.5)]. ssris, including escitalopram oxalate, have been associated with cases of clinically significant hyponatremia in elderly patients, who may be at greater risk for this adverse reaction [see warnings and precautions ( 5.6)]. of 4,422 patients in clinical studies of racemic citalopram, 1,357 were 60 and over, 1,034 were 65 and over, and 457 were 75 and over. no overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects, and other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the geriatric and younger patients, but again, greater sensitivity of some elderly individuals cannot be ruled out. increased citalopram exposure occurs in patients with hepatic impairment [see clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. the recommended dosage of escitalopram oxalate in patients with hepatic impairment is 10 mg daily [see dosage and administration ( 2.5)]. pharmacokinetics of escitalopram oxalate in patients with a creatinine clearance less than 20 ml/minute has not been evaluated. no dosage adjustment is necessary for patients with mild or moderate renal impairment [see dosage and administration ( 2.5), clinical pharmacology ( 12.3)]. physical and psychological dependence animal studies suggest that the abuse liability of racemic citalopram is low. escitalopram oxalate has not been systematically studied in humans for its potential for abuse, tolerance, or physical dependence. the premarketing clinical experience with escitalopram oxalate did not reveal any drug-seeking behavior. however, these observations were not systematic and it is not possible to predict on the basis of this limited experience the extent to which a cns-active drug will be misused, diverted, and/or abused once marketed. consequently, physicians should carefully evaluate escitalopram oxalate patients for history of drug abuse and follow such patients closely, observing them for signs of misuse or abuse (e.g., development of tolerance, incrementations of dose, drug-seeking behavior).

United States - English - NLM (National Library of Medicine)

remedyrepack inc. - divalproex sodium (unii: 644vl95ao6) (valproic acid - unii:614oi1z5wi) - divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are a valproate and are indicated for the treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder, with or without psychotic features. a manic episode is a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood. typical symptoms of mania include pressure of speech, motor hyperactivity, reduced need for sleep, flight of ideas, grandiosity, poor judgment, aggressiveness, and possible hostility. a mixed episode is characterized by the criteria for a manic episode in conjunction with those for a major depressive episode (depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities).   the efficacy of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets is based in part on studies of divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets in this indication, and was confirmed in a 3-week trial with patients meeting dsm-iv tr criteria for bipolar i disorder, manic or mixed type, who were hospitalized for acute mania [see clinical studies (14.1)] . the effectiveness of valproate for long-term use in mania, i.e., more than 3 weeks, has not been demonstrated in controlled clinical trials. therefore, healthcare providers who elect to use divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for extended periods should continually reevaluate the long-term risk-benefits of the drug for the individual patient. divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are indicated as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy in the treatment of adult patients and pediatric patients down to the age of 10 years with complex partial seizures that occur either in isolation or in association with other types of seizures. divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are also indicated for use as sole and adjunctive therapy in the treatment of simple and complex absence seizures in adults and children 10 years of age or older, and adjunctively in adults and children 10 years of age or older with multiple seizure types that include absence seizures.  simple absence is defined as very brief clouding of the sensorium or loss of consciousness accompanied by certain generalized epileptic discharges without other detectable clinical signs. complex absence is the term used when other signs are also present.  divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are indicated for prophylaxis of migraine headaches. there is no evidence that divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are useful in the acute treatment of migraine headaches. because of the risk to the fetus of decreased iq, neurodevelopmental disorders, neural tube defects, and other major congenital malformations, which may occur very early in pregnancy, valproate should not be used to treat women with epilepsy or bipolar disorder who are pregnant or who plan to become pregnant unless other medications have failed to provide adequate symptom control or are otherwise unacceptable. valproate should not be administered to a woman of childbearing potential unless other medications have failed to provide adequate symptom control or are otherwise unacceptable [see warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.3, 5.4) , use in specific populations (8.1), and patient counseling information (17)] . for prophylaxis of migraine headaches, divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in women of childbearing potential who are not using effective contraception [see contraindications (4)] . - divalproex sodium extended-release tablets should not be administered to patients with hepatic disease or significant hepatic dysfunction [see warnings and precautions (5.1)] . - divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are  contraindicated in patients known to have mitochondrial disorders caused by mutations in mitochondrial dna polymerase γ (polg; e.g., alpers-huttenlocher syndrome) and children under two years of age who are suspected of having a polg-related disorder [see warnings and precautions (5.1)] . - divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to the drug [see warnings and precautions (5.12)] . - divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are contraindicated in patients with known urea cycle disorders [see warnings and precautions (5.6)] . - for use in prophylaxis of migraine headaches: divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in women of childbearing potential who are not using effective contraception [see warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.3, 5.4) and use in specific populations (8.1)] . pregnancy exposure registry there is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to antiepileptic drugs (aeds), including divalproex sodium extended-release tablets, during pregnancy. encourage women who are taking divalproex sodium extended-release tablets during pregnancy to enroll in the north american antiepileptic drug (naaed) pregnancy registry by calling toll-free 1-888-233-2334 or visiting the website, http://www.aedpregnancyregistry.org/. this must be done by the patient herself. risk summary for use in prophylaxis of migraine headaches, valproate is contraindicated in women who are pregnant and in women of childbearing potential who are not using effective contraception [see contraindications (4)] .  for use in epilepsy or bipolar disorder, valproate should not be used to treat women who are pregnant or who plan to become pregnant unless other medications have failed to provide adequate symptom control or are otherwise unacceptable [see  boxed warningand warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.3)] . women with epilepsy who become pregnant while taking valproate should not discontinue valproate abruptly, as this can precipitate status epilepticus with resulting maternal and fetal hypoxia and threat to life. maternal valproate use during pregnancy for any indication increases the risk of congenital malformations, particularly neural tube defects including spina bifida, but also malformations involving other body systems (e.g., craniofacial defects including oral clefts, cardiovascular malformations, hypospadias, limb malformations). this risk is dose-dependent; however, a threshold dose below which no risk exists cannot be established. in utero exposure to valproate may also result in hearing impairment or hearing loss. valproate polytherapy with other aeds has been associated with an increased frequency of congenital malformations compared with aed monotherapy. the risk of major structural abnormalities is greatest during the first trimester; however, other serious developmental effects can occur with valproate use throughout pregnancy. the rate of congenital malformations among babies born to epileptic mothers who used valproate during pregnancy has been shown to be about four times higher than the rate among babies born to epileptic mothers who used other anti-seizure monotherapies [see  warnings and precautions (5.2)and data (human)] . epidemiological studies have indicated that children exposed to valproate in utero have lower iq scores and a higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders compared to children exposed to either another aed in utero or to no aeds in utero [see  warnings and precautions (5.3)and data (human)] .  an observational study has suggested that exposure to valproate products during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorders [see data (human)] . in animal studies, valproate administration during pregnancy resulted in fetal structural malformations similar to those seen in humans and neurobehavioral deficits in the offspring at clinically relevant doses [see data (animal)] . there have been reports of hypoglycemia in neonates and fatal cases of hepatic failure in infants following maternal use of valproate during pregnancy. pregnant women taking valproate may develop hepatic failure or clotting abnormalities including thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, and/or decrease in other coagulation factors, which may result in hemorrhagic complications in the neonate including death [see warnings and precautions (5.1, 5.8)] . available prenatal diagnostic testing to detect neural tube and other defects should be offered to pregnant women using valproate. evidence suggests that folic acid supplementation prior to conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy decreases the risk for congenital neural tube defects in the general population. it is not known whether the risk of neural tube defects or decreased iq in the offspring of women receiving valproate is reduced by folic acid supplementation. dietary folic acid supplementation both prior to conception and during pregnancy should be routinely recommended for patients using valproate [see warnings and precautions (5.2, 5.4)]. all pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. in the u.s. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. clinical considerations disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk to prevent major seizures, women with epilepsy should not discontinue valproate abruptly, as this can precipitate status epilepticus with resulting maternal and fetal hypoxia and threat to life. even minor seizures may pose some hazard to the developing embryo or fetus [see warnings and precautions (5.4)] . however, discontinuation of the drug may be considered prior to and during pregnancy in individual cases if the seizure disorder severity and frequency do not pose a serious threat to the patient. maternal adverse reactions pregnant women taking valproate may develop clotting abnormalities including thrombocytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, and/or decrease in other coagulation factors, which may result in hemorrhagic complications in the neonate including death [see warnings and precautions (5.8)] . if valproate is used in pregnancy, the clotting parameters should be monitored carefully in the mother. if abnormal in the mother, then these parameters should also be monitored in the neonate. patients taking valproate may develop hepatic failure [see  boxed warning and warnings and precautions (5.1)] . fatal cases of hepatic failure in infants exposed to valproate in utero have also been reported following maternal use of valproate during pregnancy.  hypoglycemia has been reported in neonates whose mothers have taken valproate during pregnancy. data human  neural tube defects and other structural abnormalities  there is an extensive body of evidence demonstrating that exposure to valproate in utero increases the risk of neural tube defects and other structural abnormalities. based on published data from the cdc’s national birth defects prevention network, the risk of spina bifida in the general population is about 0.06 to 0.07% (6 to 7 in 10,000 births) compared to the risk following in utero valproate exposure estimated to be approximately 1 to 2% (100 to 200 in 10,000 births). the naaed pregnancy registry has reported a major malformation rate of 9 to 11% in the offspring of women exposed to an average of 1,000 mg/day of valproate monotherapy during pregnancy. these data show an up to a five-fold increased risk for any major malformation following valproate exposure in utero compared to the risk following exposure in utero to other aeds taken as monotherapy. the major congenital malformations included cases of neural tube defects, cardiovascular malformations, craniofacial defects (e.g., oral clefts, craniosynostosis), hypospadias, limb malformations (e.g., clubfoot, polydactyly), and other malformations of varying severity involving other body systems [see warnings and precautions (5.2)] .  effect on iq and neurodevelopmental effects published epidemiological studies have indicated that children exposed to valproate in utero have lower iq scores than children exposed to either another aed in utero or to no aeds in utero . the largest of these studies 1 is a prospective cohort study conducted in the united states and united kingdom that found that children with prenatal exposure to valproate (n=62) had lower iq scores at age 6 (97 [95% c.i. 94 to 101]) than children with prenatal exposure to the other anti-epileptic drug monotherapy treatments evaluated: lamotrigine (108 [95% c.i. 105 to 110]), carbamazepine (105 [95% c.i. 102 to 108]) and phenytoin (108 [95% c.i. 104 to 112]). it is not known when during pregnancy cognitive effects in valproate-exposed children occur. because the women in this study were exposed to aeds throughout pregnancy, whether the risk for decreased iq was related to a particular time period during pregnancy could not be assessed [see warnings and precautions (5.3)] . although the available studies have methodological limitations, the weight of the evidence supports a causal association between valproate exposure in utero and subsequent adverse effects on neurodevelopment, including increases in autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adhd). an observational study has suggested that exposure to valproate products during pregnancy increases the risk of autism spectrum disorders. in this study, children born to mothers who had used valproate products during pregnancy had 2.9 times the risk (95% confidence interval [ci]: 1.7 to 4.9) of developing autism spectrum disorders compared to children born to mothers not exposed to valproate products during pregnancy. the absolute risks for autism spectrum disorders were 4.4% (95% ci: 2.6% to 7.5%) in valproate-exposed children and 1.5% (95% ci: 1.5% to 1.6%) in children not exposed to valproate products. another observational study found that children who were exposed to valproate in utero had an increased risk of adhd (adjusted hr 1.48; 95% ci, 1.09 to 2.00) compared with the unexposed children. because these studies were observational in nature, conclusions regarding a causal association between in utero valproate exposure and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder and adhd cannot be considered definitive. other  there are published case reports of fatal hepatic failure in offspring of women who used valproate during pregnancy. animal in developmental toxicity studies conducted in mice, rats, rabbits, and monkeys, increased rates of fetal structural abnormalities, intrauterine growth retardation, and embryo-fetal death occurred following administration of valproate to pregnant animals during organogenesis at clinically relevant doses (calculated on a body surface area [mg/m 2 ] basis). valproate induced malformations of multiple organ systems, including skeletal, cardiac, and urogenital defects. in mice, in addition to other malformations, fetal neural tube defects have been reported following valproate administration during critical periods of organogenesis, and the teratogenic response correlated with peak maternal drug levels. behavioral abnormalities (including cognitive, locomotor, and social interaction deficits) and brain histopathological changes have also been reported in mice and rat offspring exposed prenatally to clinically relevant doses of valproate. risk summary valproate is excreted in human milk. data in the published literature describe the presence of valproate in human milk (range: 0.4 mcg/ml to 3.9 mcg/ml), corresponding to 1% to 10% of maternal serum levels. valproate serum concentrations collected from breastfed infants aged 3 days postnatal to 12 weeks following delivery ranged from 0.7 mcg/ml to 4 mcg/ml, which were 1% to 6% of maternal serum valproate levels. a published study in children up to six years of age did not report adverse developmental or cognitive effects following exposure to valproate via breast milk [see data (human)] . there are no data to assess the effects of divalproex sodium on milk production or excretion. clinical considerations the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for divalproex sodium and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from divalproex sodium or from the underlying maternal condition. monitor the breastfed infant for signs of liver damage including jaundice and unusual bruising or bleeding. there have been reports of hepatic failure and clotting abnormalities in offspring of women who used valproate during pregnancy [see use in specific populations (8.1)] . data human in a published study, breast milk and maternal blood samples were obtained from 11 epilepsy patients taking valproate at doses ranging from 300 mg/day to 2,400 mg/day on postnatal days 3 to 6. in 4 patients who were taking valproate only, breast milk contained an average valproate concentration of 1.8 mcg/ml (range: 1.1 mcg/ml to 2.2 mcg/ml), which corresponded to 4.8% of the maternal plasma concentration (range: 2.7% to 7.4%). across all patients (7 of whom were taking other aeds concomitantly), similar results were obtained for breast milk concentration (1.8 mcg/ml, range: 0.4 mcg/ml to 3.9 mcg/ml) and maternal plasma ratio (5.1%, range: 1.3% to 9.6%). a published study of 6 breastfeeding mother-infant pairs measured serum valproate levels during maternal treatment for bipolar disorder (750 mg/day or 1,000 mg/day). none of the mothers received valproate during pregnancy, and infants were aged from 4 weeks to 19 weeks at the time of evaluation. infant serum levels ranged from 0.7 mcg/ml to 1.5 mcg/ml. with maternal serum valproate levels near or within the therapeutic range, infant exposure was 0.9% to 2.3% of maternal levels. similarly, in 2 published case reports with maternal doses of 500 mg/day or 750 mg/day during breastfeeding of infants aged 3 months and 1 month, infant exposure was 1.5% and 6% that of the mother, respectively. a prospective observational multicenter study evaluated the long-term neurodevelopmental effects of aed use on children. pregnant women receiving monotherapy for epilepsy were enrolled with assessments of their children at ages 3 years and 6 years. mothers continued aed therapy during the breastfeeding period. adjusted iqs measured at 3 years for breastfed and non-breastfed children were 93 (n=11) and 90 (n=24), respectively. at 6 years, the scores for breastfed and non-breastfed children were 106 (n=11) and 94 (n=25), respectively (p=0.04). for other cognitive domains evaluated at 6 years, no adverse cognitive effects of continued exposure to an aed (including valproate) via breast milk were observed. contraception women of childbearing potential should use effective contraception while taking valproate [see boxed warning, warnings and precautions (5.4), drug interactions (7), and u se in specific populations (8.1)] . this is especially important when valproate use is considered for a condition not usually associated with permanent injury or death such as prophylaxis of migraine headaches [see contraindications (4)] . infertility there have been reports of male infertility coincident with valproate therapy [see adverse reactions (6.4)] .  in animal studies, oral administration of valproate at clinically relevant doses resulted in adverse reproductive effects in males [see nonclinical toxicology (13.1)] .   experience has indicated that pediatric patients under the age of two years are at a considerably increased risk of developing fatal hepatotoxicity, especially those with the aforementioned conditions [see boxed warning and  warnings and precautions (5.1)] . when divalproex sodium extended-release tablets are used in this patient group, it should be used with extreme caution and as a sole agent. the benefits of therapy should be weighed against the risks. above the age of 2 years, experience in epilepsy has indicated that the incidence of fatal hepatotoxicity decreases considerably in progressively older patient groups. younger children, especially those receiving enzyme inducing drugs, will require larger maintenance doses to attain targeted total and unbound valproate concentrations. pediatric patients (i.e., between 3 months and 10 years) have 50% higher clearances expressed on weight (i.e., ml/min/kg) than do adults. over the age of 10 years, children have pharmacokinetic parameters that approximate those of adults. the variability in free fraction limits the clinical usefulness of monitoring total serum valproic acid concentrations. interpretation of valproic acid concentrations in children should include consideration of factors that affect hepatic metabolism and protein binding. pediatric clinical trials divalproex sodium was studied in seven pediatric clinical trials. two of the pediatric studies were double-blinded placebo-controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for the indications of mania (150 patients aged 10 to 17 years, 76 of whom were on divalproex sodium extended-release tablets) and migraine (304 patients aged 12 to 17 years, 231 of whom were on divalproex sodium extended-release tablets). efficacy was not established for either the treatment of migraine or the treatment of mania.  the most common drug-related adverse reactions (reported >5% and twice the rate of placebo) reported in the controlled pediatric mania study were nausea, upper abdominal pain, somnolence, increased ammonia, gastritis and rash. the remaining five trials were long term safety studies. two six-month pediatric studies were conducted to evaluate the long-term safety of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for the indication of mania (292 patients aged 10 to 17 years). two twelve-month pediatric studies were conducted to evaluate the long-term safety of divalproex sodium extended-release tablets for the indication of migraine (353 patients aged 12 to 17 years). one twelve-month study was conducted to evaluate the safety of divalproex sodium sprinkle capsules in the indication of partial seizures (169 patients aged 3 to 10 years).  in these seven clinical trials, the safety and tolerability of divalproex sodium in pediatric patients were shown to be comparable to those in adults [see adverse reactions (6)] . juvenile animal toxicology in studies of valproate in immature animals, toxic effects not observed in adult animals included retinal dysplasia in rats treated during the neonatal period (from postnatal day 4) and nephrotoxicity in rats treated during the neonatal and juvenile (from postnatal day 14) periods. the no-effect dose for these findings was less than the maximum recommended human dose on a mg/m 2 basis. no patients above the age of 65 years were enrolled in double-blind prospective clinical trials of mania associated with bipolar illness. in a case review study of 583 patients, 72 patients (12%) were greater than 65 years of age. a higher percentage of patients above 65 years of age reported accidental injury, infection, pain, somnolence, and tremor. discontinuation of valproate was occasionally associated with the latter two events. it is not clear whether these events indicate additional risk or whether they result from preexisting medical illness and concomitant medication use among these patients.  a study of elderly patients with dementia revealed drug related somnolence and discontinuation for somnolence [see warnings and precautions (5.14)] . the starting dose should be reduced in these patients, and dosage reductions or discontinuation should be considered in patients with excessive somnolence [see dosage and administration (2.5)] . there is insufficient information available to discern the safety and effectiveness of valproate for the prophylaxis of migraines in patients over 65. the capacity of elderly patients (age range: 68 to 89 years) to eliminate valproate has been shown to be reduced compared to younger adults (age range: 22 to 26 years) [see clinical pharmacology (12.3)] . liver disease liver disease impairs the capacity to eliminate valproate   [see boxed warning , contraindications (4) , warnings and precautions (5.1) , and  clinical pharmacology (12.3) ] .

United States - English - NLM (National Library of Medicine)

pd-rx pharmaceuticals, inc. - sertraline hydrochloride (unii: uti8907y6x) (sertraline - unii:quc7nx6wmb) - sertraline hydrochloride tablets are indicated for the treatment of the following [see clinical studies (14)] : - major depressive disorder (mdd) - obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd) - panic disorder (pd) - posttraumatic stress disorder (ptsd) - social anxiety disorder (sad) - premenstrual dysphoric disorder (pmdd) sertraline hydrochloride tablets are contraindicated in patients: - taking, or within 14 days of stopping, maois, (including the maois linezolid and intravenous methylene blue) because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome [see warnings and precautions (5.2), drug interactions (7.1)] . - taking pimozide [see drug interactions (7.1)] . - with known hypersensitivity to sertraline (e.g., anaphylaxis, angioedema) [see adverse reactions (6.1, 6.2)]. risk summary overall, available published epidemiologic studies of pregnant women exposed to sertraline in the first trimester suggest no difference in major birth d