Details

Mirtazapine is an antidepressant. It affects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with depression. Mirtazapine is used to treat major depressive disorder. Do not use mirtazapine if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. To make sure mirtazapine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease narrow-angle glaucoma bipolar disorder (manic depression) seizures or epilepsy low blood pressure or dizzy spells high cholesterol or triglycerides heart disease, including angina (chest pain) a history of heart attack or stroke or a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts.

Typical Uses

Mirtazapine is used to treat depression. It improves mood and feelings of well-being. Mirtazapine is an antidepressant that works by restoring the balance of natural chemicals (neurotransmitters) in the brain.

Side Effects

Common mirtazapine side effects include racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, unusual risk-taking behaviour, feelings of extreme happiness or sadness, being more talkative than usual blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out changes in weight or appetite sudden weakness or ill feeling, fever, chills, sore throat, mouth sores, red or swollen gums, trouble swallowing rash, blisters, oozing, or severe pain in the palms of your hands or the soles of your feet high levels of serotonin in the body - agitation, hallucinations, fever, fast heart rate, overactive reflexes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of coordination, fainting low levels of sodium in the body - headache, confusion, slurred speech, severe weakness, vomiting, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady or severe nervous system reaction - very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, feeling like you might pass out.

Drug Interactions

• Mirtazapine+5-hydroxytryptophan- Using mirtazapine together with 5-hydroxytryptophan can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, incoordination, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death.
• Mirtazapine+alfentanil- Using alfentanil together with mirtazapine can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweating, shivering or shaking, blurred vision, muscle spasm or stiffness, tremor, incoordination, stomach cramp, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Severe cases may result in coma and even death.
• Mirtazapine+bupropion- Bupropion may rarely cause seizures, and combining it with other medications that can also cause seizures such as mirtazapine may increase that risk. The interaction may be more likely if you are elderly, undergoing alcohol or drug withdrawal, have a history of seizures, or have a condition affecting the central nervous system such as a brain tumour or head trauma.
• Mirtazapine+nefazodone- Using nefazodone together with mirtazapine can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called the serotonin syndrome, which may include symptoms such as confusion, hallucination, seizure, extreme changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, fever, excessive sweat

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