lurasidone hydrochloride at a glance
Medicine class
Atypical antipsychotic
Licensed use
Schizophrenia in adults and adolescents aged 13 years and over
Taking the tablet
Swallow whole with water and take with food or just after eating.
Important avoidance
Avoid grapefruit juice and check medicines and herbal products for interactions.
What is lurasidone hydrochloride used for?
The selected product is licensed for:
Treatment of schizophrenia in adults.
Treatment of schizophrenia in adolescents aged 13 years and over; prescribing should involve appropriate specialist expertise.
Bipolar depression is not a licensed indication for the selected product. Any such use is non-licensed and requires specialist assessment.
How does lurasidone hydrochloride work?
Lurasidone blocks dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT2A and 5-HT7 receptors and partly stimulates 5-HT1A receptors. These actions alter dopamine and serotonin signalling involved in psychotic symptoms.
lurasidone hydrochloride preparations and strengths
Tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 18.5 mg, 37 mg, 74 mg
How to take lurasidone hydrochloride
Follow the prescriber's directions and do not change or stop treatment without advice.
Take with food or just after eating; absorption is substantially lower without food.
Swallow the film-coated tablet whole with water to mask its bitter taste.
Avoid grapefruit juice and alcohol.
Until its effects are known, take care with driving, cycling and machinery because sleepiness, dizziness or visual disturbance can occur.
lurasidone hydrochloride side effects
Common or expected effects
- Restlessness or inability to sit still (akathisia)
- Nausea
- Difficulty sleeping
- Sleepiness or dizziness
- Tremor, stiffness or other movement problems
- Digestive symptoms, including vomiting, indigestion or dry mouth
- Fatigue
- Changes in appetite or weight
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe allergic reaction or a blistering skin reaction
- High temperature, severe stiffness and altered awareness, suggesting neuroleptic malignant syndrome
- New persistent involuntary facial or tongue movements
- Symptoms of a blood clot, such as a painful swollen leg or sudden chest pain and breathlessness
- Seizure
- Symptoms of serotonin syndrome, including agitation, fever, sweating, diarrhoea, tremor or muscle twitching
- Severe or rapidly worsening suicidal thoughts
lurasidone hydrochloride in pregnancy
Human pregnancy information remains limited. Available registry data have not identified a specific pattern of birth defects, but the numbers studied are too small to rule out risk. Use in pregnancy requires specialist assessment of maternal benefit and fetal risk; do not stop treatment without advice. Exposure late in pregnancy can cause newborn movement, breathing, feeding or withdrawal-type symptoms, so neonatal observation may be needed.
lurasidone hydrochloride while breastfeeding
Evidence is limited. A small study found low transfer into milk and no reported adverse effects in exposed infants, but this does not establish safety for every baby. Discuss feeding plans with the mental-health and maternity teams; if breastfeeding continues, individual risk assessment and infant monitoring are appropriate.
lurasidone hydrochloride interactions
Lurasidone is mainly metabolised by CYP3A4, creating several clinically important interactions.
Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors, including clarithromycin, itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole and ritonavir
These can greatly increase lurasidone exposure and are contraindicated.
Strong CYP3A4 inducers, including carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, rifampicin and St John’s wort
These can greatly reduce lurasidone exposure and are contraindicated.
Diltiazem, erythromycin, fluconazole and verapamil
These may increase lurasidone exposure and require prescriber review.
Common questions about lurasidone hydrochloride
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
What is lurasidone hydrochloride used for?
The selected product is licensed to treat schizophrenia in adults and adolescents aged 13 years and over.
Why must it be taken with food?
Food substantially increases absorption; taking it without food can produce much lower exposure.
Can the tablets be crushed or chewed?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.