Vicente Medrano, Servicio de Neurología, Hospital General Universitario de Elda Virgen de la Salud, Elda, Alicante, España

Quetiapine has demonstrated safety and efficacy when used for its approved indications (schizophrenia, treatment of acute manic episodes, and adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder). However, off-label prescription rates are high as a treatment for symptomatic control of different conditions without the support of sufficiently proven evidence. But the need compels and, in neurology, quetiapine is a drug commonly used off-label to treat behavioral disorders that appear in patients with dementias and/or parkinsonisms. Its mechanism of action and adverse effects are dose-dependent, and its use is not exempt from potential side effects, but quetiapine’s low affinity for the dopamine D2 receptor makes movement disorders less prominent with this drug. However, prescribers must be cautious when considering the possibility of prescribing quetiapine off-label.

Keywords: Quetiapine. Antipsychotics. Off-label prescribing. Behavioral symptoms. Dementia. Parkinsonisms.