Loxapine Capsule: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Loxapine Capsule (generic name: loxapine) is a prescription antipsychotic medicine belonging to the dibenzoxazepine class. It is used to treat schizophrenia, helping manage symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking. It works by blocking dopamine and serotonin in the brain. As with all antipsychotics, it carries possible side effects and precautions that should be discussed with a doctor.

What is Loxapine Capsule

Loxapine is a prescription antipsychotic medicine used to treat schizophrenia, a serious mental illness that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.

Loxapine Capsule uses

• Treats schizophrenia, including symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking
• May help with both positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions) and negative symptoms (apathy, social withdrawal) of schizophrenia
• May be used off-label for other conditions as directed by a doctor

Benefits of Loxapine Capsule

• Treats schizophrenia
• Helps reduce hallucinations
• Helps reduce delusions
• Helps manage disorganized thinking
• Helps control psychotic symptoms

How Loxapine Capsule works

Loxapine works by blocking dopamine and serotonin, two brain chemicals involved in mood, thinking, and perception. In schizophrenia, overactive dopamine signaling is thought to cause symptoms like hallucinations and delusions; by blocking dopamine receptors, loxapine helps calm this overactivity. It also decreases abnormal excitement in the brain.

Loxapine Capsule dosage

Loxapine is taken by mouth, usually in divided doses, two to four times a day. Try to take it at around the same times every day. It can be taken with or without food. Your doctor may start you on a low dose and increase it over the first 7 to 10 days until symptoms are controlled. Continue taking it even if you feel well; do not stop without talking to your doctor. It may take several weeks or longer to feel the full benefit. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but skip it if it is almost time for your next dose — do not double up.

Available forms and strengths

• Oral capsule
• Oral tablet
• Oral solution/liquid
• Intramuscular injection

Side effects of Loxapine Capsule

Common

• Drowsiness or sedation
• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Constipation
• Blurred vision
• Weight gain
• Tremors
• Restlessness or agitation
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
• Skin rash or itching
• Nasal congestion
• Problems with balance or walking
• Swelling in the face
• Numbness or weakness
• Nausea, vomiting

Serious

• Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (high fever, muscle rigidity, confusion, irregular heartbeat, sweating)
• Tardive dyskinesia (uncontrollable, rhythmic movements of the face, mouth, tongue, or body)
• Seizures
• Low blood pressure or fainting (orthostatic hypotension)
• Blood disorders such as low white blood cell counts (fever, chills, mouth sores, sore throat, infections)
• Elevated liver enzymes, jaundice, or hepatitis
• Fast or irregular heartbeat
• Severe constipation or little to no urination
• Falls leading to fractures or other injuries
• Allergic reaction (hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat)

Warnings and precautions

• Older adults with dementia-related psychosis have a higher risk of death when treated with antipsychotic drugs like loxapine; it is not approved for this use.
• Loxapine can cause tardive dyskinesia, a movement disorder with uncontrollable face and body movements that may not go away even after stopping the drug.
• A rare but life-threatening condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome can occur, with high fever, stiff muscles, and confusion.
• Loxapine can lower the seizure threshold, raising the risk of seizures, especially in people with epilepsy.
• Loxapine may cause drowsiness, low blood pressure on standing, and balance problems, which can increase the risk of falls and injuries.
• Do not use loxapine if you have reduced alertness from alcohol or certain other drugs, or if you are in a coma.
• Loxapine should only be used during pregnancy if the benefits outweigh the risks, since it may harm the developing baby. Babies exposed in the last three months of pregnancy may have withdrawal or movement symptoms after birth.
• Breastfeeding while taking loxapine is not recommended, as it can pass into breast milk and may harm the nursing baby.
• Loxapine is removed from the body partly through the kidneys, and dose adjustments may be needed in people with kidney problems.
• Loxapine is broken down by the liver, and people with liver problems may need a different dose; it is not recommended for people with severe liver disease.
• Avoid drinking alcohol while taking loxapine, as it can cause dangerous side effects and worsen drowsiness.
• Loxapine can cause drowsiness and affect your thinking and movements, so avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how it affects you.

Storage

• Store at room temperature away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom)
• Keep the medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children
• Dispose of unneeded medication through a medicine take-back program rather than flushing it down the toilet

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency help right away for signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Call your doctor right away if you notice uncontrolled movements of the arms, legs, or face, a fast heart rate, feeling like you might faint, confusion, slurred speech, agitation, trouble sleeping, or seizures.
• Seek medical help immediately for signs of low white blood cells, like fever, chills, mouth sores, sore throat, or trouble breathing, or for a severe nervous system reaction with stiff muscles, high fever, sweating, and fast heartbeat.
• If you suspect an overdose, get emergency medical attention or contact poison control right away.
• If a serious side effect occurs, such as little or no urinating, or severe constipation, contact your doctor promptly.

Alternatives

• Quetiapine
• Risperidone
• Haloperidol