What is Fanapt?

Iloperidone is an antipsychotic medication. It works by changing the effects of chemicals in the brain.
Iloperidone is used to treat schizophrenia.
Iloperidone may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about Fanapt?

Iloperidone is not for use in psychotic conditions related to dementia. Iloperidone may cause heart failure, sudden death, or pneumonia in older adults with dementia-related conditions.
Before using iloperidone, tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by iloperidone.
While you are taking iloperidone, you may be more sensitive to temperature extremes such as very hot or cold conditions. Avoid getting too cold, or becoming overheated or dehydrated. Drink plenty of fluids, especially in hot weather and during exercise. It is easier to become dangerously overheated and dehydrated while you are taking iloperidone.
Iloperidone may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of iloperidone.
Stop using iloperidone and call your doctor at once if you have very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, restless muscle movements in your face or neck, tremor (uncontrolled shaking), trouble swallowing, or feeling like you might pass out.
If you have stopped taking iloperidone for any reason, talk with your doctor before you start taking it again. You may need to restart the medication at a lower dose.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Fanapt?

Iloperidone is not for use in psychotic conditions related to dementia. Iloperidone may cause heart failure, sudden death, or pneumonia in older adults with dementia-related conditions.
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to iloperidone.
If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a iloperidone dose adjustment or special tests:

kidney or liver disease
a personal or family history of Long QT syndrome
seizures or epilepsy
heart disease, high blood pressure, heart rhythm problems
a history of low white blood cell (WBC) counts
a history of heart attack or stroke
an electrolyte imbalance, such as low potassium or magnesium levels in your blood
a history of breast cancer
diabetes (iloperidone may raise your blood sugar)
trouble swallowing; or
a history of suicidal thoughts

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether iloperidone will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.
It is not known whether iloperidone passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are taking iloperidone.
Older adults may be more likely to have side effects from this medicine.

Fanapt Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of Fanapt?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop taking this medication and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, feeling like you might pass out
twitching or uncontrollable movements of your eyes, lips, tongue, face, arms, or legs
tremor (uncontrolled shaking)
trouble swallowing
seizure (convulsions)
urinating less than usual or not at all
fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms
white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips
feeling like you might pass out; or
penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer

Less serious side effects may include:

dizziness, drowsiness, tired feeling
dry mouth, stuffy nose, sore throat
nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach
joint pain
breast swelling or discharge
changes in menstrual periods
blurred vision
weight gain; or
mild skin rash

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Fanapt Interactions

What other drugs affect Fanapt?

Before using iloperidone, tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by iloperidone.
Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

arsenic trioxide (Trisenox)
droperidol (Inapsine)
an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), ketoconazole (Nizoral), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), pentamidine (NebuPent, Pentam), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater)
an antidepressant such as amitriptylline (Elavil, Vanatrip), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), or paroxetine (Paxil)
anti-malaria medications such as chloroquine (Arelan), mefloquine (Lariam), or halofantrine (Halfan)
heart rhythm medicine such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), dofetilide (Tikosyn), disopyramide (Norpace), ibutilide (Corvert), procainamide (Procan, Pronestyl), propafenone (Rythmol), quinidine (Quinidex, Quin-Release Quin-G), or sotalol (Betapace)
medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting, such as dolasetron (Anzemet) or ondansetron (Zofran)
other medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), clozapine (FazaClo, Clozaril), haloperidol (Haldol), pimozide (Orap), thioridazine (Mellaril), or ziprasidone (Geodon)
migraine headache medicine such as sumatriptan (Imitrex) or zolmitriptan (Zomig); or
narcotic medication such as levomethadyl (Orlaam), or methadone (Dolophine, Methadose)

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with iloperidone. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

What should I avoid while taking Fanapt?

While you are taking iloperidone, you may be more sensitive to temperature extremes such as very hot or cold conditions. Avoid getting too cold, or becoming overheated or dehydrated. Drink plenty of fluids, especially in hot weather and during exercise. It is easier to become dangerously overheated and dehydrated while you are taking iloperidone.
Iloperidone may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.
Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.
Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of iloperidone.

Fanapt Dosage

How should I take Fanapt?

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.
Iloperidone can be taken with or without food.
Your doctor will need to check your progress on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.
Iloperidone may cause you to have high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Talk to your doctor if you have any signs of hyperglycemia such as increased thirst or urination, excessive hunger, or weakness. If you are diabetic, check your blood sugar levels on a regular basis while you are taking iloperidone.
If you have stopped taking iloperidone for any reason, talk with your doctor before you start taking it again. You may need to restart the medication at a lower dose.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, light, and heat.

What happens if I overdose on Fanapt?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, fast heart rate, and feeling light-headed.

What happens if I miss a dose of Fanapt?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Sourced from everydayhealth.com

Fanapt