2.1 Major Depressive Disorder
— In controlled trials used to support the efficacy of fluoxetine, patients were administered morning doses ranging from 20 to 80 mg/day. Studies comparing fluoxetine 20, 40, and 60 mg/day to placebo indicate that 20 mg/day is sufficient to obtain a satisfactory response in Major Depressive Disorder in most cases. Consequently, a dose of 20 mg/day, administered in the morning, is recommended as the initial dose. A dose increase may be considered after several weeks if insufficient clinical improvement is observed. Doses above 20 mg/day may be administered on a once-a-day (morning) or BID schedule (i.e., morning and noon) and should not exceed a maximum dose of 80 mg/day. — In the short-term (8 to 9 week) controlled clinical trials of fluoxetine supporting its effectiveness in the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder, patients were administered fluoxetine doses of 10 to 20 mg/day . Treatment should be initiated with a dose of 10 or 20 mg/day. After 1 week at 10 mg/day, the dose should be increased to 20 mg/day. However, due to higher plasma levels in lower weight children, the starting and target dose in this group may be 10 mg/day. A dose increase to 20 mg/day may be considered after several weeks if insufficient clinical improvement is observed. — As with other drugs effective in the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder, the full effect may be delayed until 4 weeks of treatment or longer. — It is generally agreed that acute episodes of Major Depressive Disorder require several months or longer of sustained pharmacologic therapy. Whether the dose needed to induce remission is identical to the dose needed to maintain and/or sustain euthymia is unknown. — Systematic evaluation of fluoxetine capsules in adult patients has shown that its efficacy in Major Depressive Disorder is maintained for periods of up to 38 weeks following 12 weeks of open-label acute treatment (50 weeks total) at a dose of 20 mg/day . — Dosage of a TCA may need to be reduced, and plasma TCA concentrations may need to be monitored temporarily when fluoxetine is coadministered or has been recently discontinued . Initial Treatment Adult
Pediatric (children and adolescents)
[see ] Clinical Studies (14.1)
All patients
Maintenance/Continuation/Extended Treatment
Daily Dosing
[see ] Clinical Studies (14.1)Switching Patients to a Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA)
[see and ] Warnings and Precautions (5.2)Drug Interactions (7.7)
2.2 Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
— In the controlled clinical trials of fluoxetine supporting its effectiveness in the treatment of OCD, patients were administered fixed daily doses of 20, 40, or 60 mg of fluoxetine or placebo . In one of these studies, no dose-response relationship for effectiveness was demonstrated. Consequently, a dose of 20 mg/day, administered in the morning, is recommended as the initial dose. Since there was a suggestion of a possible dose-response relationship for effectiveness in the second study, a dose increase may be considered after several weeks if insufficient clinical improvement is observed. The full therapeutic effect may be delayed until 5 weeks of treatment or longer. Doses above 20 mg/day may be administered on a once daily (i.e., morning) or BID schedule (i.e., morning and noon). A dose range of 20 to 60 mg/day is recommended; however, doses of up to 80 mg/day have been well tolerated in open studies of OCD. The maximum fluoxetine dose should not exceed 80 mg/day. — In the controlled clinical trial of fluoxetine supporting its effectiveness in the treatment of OCD, patients were administered fluoxetine doses in the range of 10 to 60 mg/day . In adolescents and higher weight children, treatment should be initiated with a dose of 10 mg/day. After 2 weeks, the dose should be increased to 20 mg/day. Additional dose increases may be considered after several more weeks if insufficient clinical improvement is observed. A dose range of 20 to 60 mg/day is recommended. In lower weight children, treatment should be initiated with a dose of 10 mg/day. Additional dose increases may be considered after several more weeks if insufficient clinical improvement is observed. A dose range of 20 to 30 mg/day is recommended. Experience with daily doses greater than 20 mg is very minimal, and there is no experience with doses greater than 60 mg. — While there are no systematic studies that answer the question of how long to continue fluoxetine capsules, OCD is a chronic condition and it is reasonable to consider continuation for a responding patient. Although the efficacy of fluoxetine capsules after 13 weeks has not been documented in controlled trials, adult patients have been continued in therapy under double-blind conditions for up to an additional 6 months without loss of benefit. However, dosage adjustments should be made to maintain the patient on the lowest effective dosage, and patients should be periodically reassessed to determine the need for treatment. Initial Treatment Adult
[see ] Clinical Studies (14.2)
Pediatric (children and adolescents)
[see ] Clinical Studies (14.2)
Maintenance/Continuation Treatment
2.3 Bulimia Nervosa
— In the controlled clinical trials of fluoxetine supporting its effectiveness in the treatment of Bulimia Nervosa, patients were administered fixed daily fluoxetine doses of 20 or 60 mg, or placebo . Only the 60 mg dose was statistically significantly superior to placebo in reducing the frequency of binge-eating and vomiting. Consequently, the recommended dose is 60 mg/day, administered in the morning. For some patients it may be advisable to titrate up to this target dose over several days. Fluoxetine doses above 60 mg/day have not been systematically studied in patients with bulimia. — Systematic evaluation of continuing fluoxetine capsules 60 mg/day for periods of up to 52 weeks in patients with bulimia who have responded while taking fluoxetine capsules 60 mg/day during an 8-week acute treatment phase has demonstrated a benefit of such maintenance treatment . Nevertheless, patients should be periodically reassessed to determine the need for maintenance treatment. Initial Treatment[see ] Clinical Studies (14.3)
Maintenance/Continuation Treatment
[see ] Clinical Studies (14.3)
2.4 Panic Disorder
— In the controlled clinical trials of fluoxetine supporting its effectiveness in the treatment of Panic Disorder, patients were administered fluoxetine doses in the range of 10 to 60 mg/day . Treatment should be initiated with a dose of 10 mg/day. After one week, the dose should be increased to 20 mg/day. The most frequently administered dose in the 2 flexible-dose clinical trials was 20 mg/day. A dose increase may be considered after several weeks if no clinical improvement is observed. Fluoxetine doses above 60 mg/day have not been systematically evaluated in patients with Panic Disorder. — While there are no systematic studies that answer the question of how long to continue fluoxetine capsules, panic disorder is a chronic condition and it is reasonable to consider continuation for a responding patient. Nevertheless, patients should be periodically reassessed to determine the need for continued treatment. Initial Treatment[see ] Clinical Studies (14.4)
Maintenance/Continuation Treatment
2.5 Fluoxetine Capsules and Olanzapine in Combination: Depressive Episodes Associated with Bipolar I Disorder
When using fluoxetine capsules and olanzapine in combination, also refer to the Clinical Studies section of the package insert for Symbyax.
Fluoxetine should be administered in combination with oral olanzapine once daily in the evening, without regard to meals, generally beginning with 5 mg of oral olanzapine and 20 mg of fluoxetine. Dosage adjustments, if indicated, can be made according to efficacy and tolerability within dose ranges of fluoxetine 20 to 50 mg and oral olanzapine 5 to 12.5 mg. Antidepressant efficacy was demonstrated with olanzapine and fluoxetine in combination with a dose range of olanzapine 6 to 12 mg and fluoxetine 25 to 50 mg. Safety of co-administration of doses above 18 mg olanzapine with 75 mg fluoxetine has not been evaluated in clinical studies. Adult —
Information for pediatric patients (10 to 17 years) is approved for Eli Lilly and Company’s Fluoxetine Capsules. However due to Eli Lilly and Company’s marketing exclusivity rights, this drug product is not labeled with that pediatric information.
Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine in combination with olanzapine was determined in clinical trials supporting approval of Symbyax (fixed-dose combination of olanzapine and fluoxetine). Symbyax is dosed between 3 mg/25 mg (olanzapine/fluoxetine) per day and 12 mg/50 mg (olanzapine/fluoxetine) per day. The following table demonstrates the appropriate individual component doses of fluoxetine capsules and olanzapine versus Symbyax. Dosage adjustments, if indicated, should be made with the individual components according to efficacy and tolerability.
Table 1: Approximate Dose Correspondence Between Symbyax and the Combination of Fluoxetine and Olanzapine 1
For Symbyax (mg/day)
Use in Combination
Olanzapine (mg/day)
Fluoxetine (mg/day)
Symbyax (olanzapine/fluoxetine hydrochloride) is a fixed-dose combination of fluoxetine and olanzapine. 1
3 mg olanzapine/25 mg fluoxetine
2.5
20
6 mg olanzapine/25 mg fluoxetine
5
20
12 mg olanzapine/25 mg fluoxetine
10+2.5
20
6 mg olanzapine/50 mg fluoxetine
5
40+10
12 mg olanzapine/50 mg fluoxetine
10+2.5
40+10
While there is no body of evidence to answer the question of how long a patient treated with fluoxetine capsules and olanzapine in combination should remain on it, it is generally accepted that Bipolar I Disorder, including the depressive episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder, is a chronic illness requiring chronic treatment. The physician should periodically re-examine the need for continued pharmacotherapy. Fluoxetine capsules monotherapy is not indicated for the treatment of depressive episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder.
2.7 Dosing in Specific Populations
— When treating pregnant women with fluoxetine capsules, the physician should carefully consider the potential risks and potential benefits of treatment. Neonates exposed to SSRIs or SNRIs late in the third trimester have developed complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding — A lower or less frequent dosage should be considered for the elderly — As with many other medications, a lower or less frequent dosage should be used in patients with hepatic impairment — Patients with concurrent disease or on multiple concomitant medications may require dosage adjustments — The starting dose of oral olanzapine 2.5 to 5 mg with fluoxetine 20 mg should be used for patients with a predisposition to hypotensive reactions, patients with hepatic impairment, or patients who exhibit a combination of factors that may slow the metabolism of olanzapine or fluoxetine in combination (female gender, geriatric age, non-smoking status), or those patients who may be pharmacodynamically sensitive to olanzapine. Dosing modifications may be necessary in patients who exhibit a combination of factors that may slow metabolism. When indicated, dose escalation should be performed with caution in these patients. Fluoxetine capsules and olanzapine in combination have not been systematically studied in patients over 65 years of age or in patients less than 10 years of age . Treatment of Pregnant Women[see ]. Use in Specific Populations (8.1)
Geriatric[see ]. Use in Specific Populations (8.5)
Hepatic Impairment[see and ]. Clinical Pharmacology (12.4)Use in Specific Populations (8.6)
Concomitant Illness[see Clinical and ]. Pharmacology (12.4)Warnings and Precautions (5.12)
Fluoxetine Capsules and Olanzapine in Combination
[see and ] Warnings and Precautions (5.16)Drug Interactions (7.7)
2.8 Discontinuation of Treatment
Symptoms associated with discontinuation of fluoxetine, SNRIs, and SSRIs, have been reported [see Warnings and Precautions (5.15)].
2.9 Switching a Patient To or From a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) Intended to Treat Psychiatric Disorders
At least 14 days should elapse between discontinuation of an MAOI intended to treat psychiatric disorders and initiation of therapy with fluoxetine capsules. Conversely, at least 5 weeks should be allowed after stopping fluoxetine capsules before starting an MAOI intended to treat psychiatric disorders [ ]. see Contraindications (4.1)
2.10 Use of Fluoxetine Capsules with Other MAOIs such as Linezolid or Methylene Blue
Do not start fluoxetine capsules in a patient who is being treated with linezolid or intravenous methylene blue because there is an increased risk of serotonin syndrome. In a patient who requires more urgent treatment of a psychiatric condition, other interventions, including hospitalization, should be considered In some cases, a patient already receiving fluoxetine capsules therapy may require urgent treatment with linezolid or intravenous methylene blue. If acceptable alternatives to linezolid or intravenous methylene blue treatment are not available and the potential benefits of linezolid or intravenous methylene blue treatment are judged to outweigh the risks of serotonin syndrome in a particular patient, fluoxetine capsules should be stopped promptly, and linezolid or intravenous methylene blue can be administered. The patient should be monitored for symptoms of serotonin syndrome for five weeks or until 24 hours after the last dose of linezolid or intravenous methylene blue, whichever comes first. Therapy with fluoxetine capsules may be resumed 24 hours after the last dose of linezolid or intravenous methylene blue The risk of administering methylene blue by non-intravenous routes (such as oral tablets or by local injection) or in intravenous doses much lower than 1 mg/kg with fluoxetine capsules is unclear. The clinician should, nevertheless, be aware of the possibility of emergent symptoms of serotonin syndrome with such use . [see ]. Contraindications (4.1)
[see ]. Warnings and Precautions (5.2)
[see ] Warnings and Precautions (5.2)