Luvox

Generic Name: Fluvoxamine maleate
Product Name: Luvox

Indication

Major depression
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, including children
Panic disorder

Action

Antidepressant action by selective inhibition of pre-synaptic uptake of serotonin (5- hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT)
Fluvoxamine inhibits liver cytochrome enzymes, CYP1A2 and CYP3A4, responsible for the metabolism of many other drugs, thus potentially interacting with those drugs by decreasing their metabolism

Dose advice

Adults:
Initially 50mg once daily, gradually increasing as necessary to 100-300mg daily.
In depression, doses > 100mg daily are not usually needed.
Give doses > 150mg in 2 divided doses
Maximum 300mg daily
Children > 8 years:
25mg once daily, increasing every 4-7 days as tolerated to a maximum of 200mg
Give doses > 50mg daily in 2 divided doses

Schedule

Common side effects

Nausea
Agitation
Insomnia
Drowsiness
Tremor
â?¢ Dry mouth
â?¢ Diarrhoea
â?¢ Dizzness
â?¢ Headache
â?¢ Sweating
â?¢ Asthenia
â?¢ Anxiety
â?¢ Weight gain or loss
â?¢ Sexual dysfunction
â?¢ Rhinitis
â?¢ Myalgia
â?¢ Rash

Uncommon side effects

Extrapyramidal reactions (including tartive dyskinesia and dystonia)
Sedation
Confusion
Palpitations
Tachycardia
Hypotension
SIADH
Abnormal platelet aggregation/ haemorrhagic complications (e.g. bruising, epistaxis, purpura)
Rare:
Elevated liver enzymes
Hepatitis
Hepatic failure
â?¢ Galactorrhoea
â?¢ Blood dyscrasias
â?¢ Seizures
â?¢ Akathesia