Latuda is a brand-name prescription drug used to treat schizophrenia in adults and teens and to treat depression in adults and children diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Lurasidone hydrochloride, the active ingredient in Latuda, is a second-generation antipsychotic that calms brain activity by balancing dopamine and serotonin, chemicals that help pass signals between nerves. Latuda is taken with food as a tablet once per day.
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Latuda forms and strengths
Tablets are the only dosage form available for Latuda, but they come in a wide range of dose strengths
.
Tablets: 20 milligrams (mg), 40 mg, 60 mg, 80 mg, 120 mg
Latuda dosage for adults
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Latuda for the treatment of schizophrenia or depressive episodes in adults diagnosed with bipolar I disorder. Latuda is not FDA-approved to treat older adult patients with dementia-related psychosis because of the increased risk of death.
For bipolar depression, the FDA has approved Latuda as a single-drug treatment, or monotherapy, or as combination therapy with the mood stabilizers lithium or valproate. The dose range for bipolar depression is just slightly lower than the dose range for schizophrenia.
| Latuda dosage chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indication | Starting dosage | Standard dosage | Maximum dosage |
| Schizophrenia | 40 mg taken once daily | 40–160 mg taken once daily | 160 mg per day |
| Bipolar I depression | 20 mg taken once daily | 20–120 mg taken once daily | 120 mg per day |
Source: Epocrates
Latuda dosage for schizophrenia
Latuda is an atypical antipsychotic used to improve and manage the symptoms of schizophrenia, a medical condition characterized by a disconnection with and withdrawal from the real world. Common symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking, unfocused behaviors, and negative symptoms such as poor hygiene and withdrawal. Many factors contribute to schizophrenia, but scientists believe that one of the causes of schizophrenia is overexcited nerve circuits in the brain. This overexcitement is brought about by an imbalance in the brain’s neurotransmitters, that is, chemicals that pass signals between nerves. It is believed that some neurotransmitters that excite nerve activity, such as dopamine and serotonin, are too active in people with schizophrenia, while neurotransmitters that slow down nerve transmission are underactive.
No one knows exactly how lurasidone works, but it’s believed that it blocks dopamine and serotonin, two of the neurotransmitters responsible for producing overexcitement in the brain. As a second-generation antipsychotic, however, lurasidone is less likely than earlier antipsychotics to cause involuntary movement problems, called extrapyramidal symptoms, like facial grimacing (tardive dyskinesia), muscle twitching (parkinsonism), and restlessness (akathisia).
Standard dosage for schizophrenia in adults: 40–160 mg taken once daily
Maximum dosage for schizophrenia in adults: 160 mg per day
Latuda dosage for bipolar depression
Latuda is also used to treat major depressive episodes in people diagnosed with bipolar I disorder. Adults and children older than 10 years old can take Latuda alone as monotherapy for bipolar depression. However, Latuda adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate is used only in adults.
Scientists are uncertain how lurasidone helps reduce symptoms of depression, but they believe it has something to do with the drug blocking serotonin receptors in the brain. Because Latuda is also an antipsychotic, it calms the brain and so helps prevent patients from cycling into mania or hypomania. This makes it preferable to other antidepressants including the more popular SSRI antidepressants. While these drugs can treat bipolar depression, they frequently trigger manic episodes in bipolar patients.
Standard dosage for bipolar depression in adults: 20–120 mg taken once daily
Maximum dosage for bipolar depression mania in adults: 120 mg per day
Latuda dosage for children
Latuda is FDA-approved to treat adolescents 13–17 years of age for schizophrenia and to treat children and teens 10–17 years of age as monotherapy for bipolar I depression. The safety and effectiveness of Latuda in treating children in these age ranges have been established in two placebo-controlled clinical studies.
| Latuda pediatric dosage chart | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indication | Age | Starting dosage | Standard dosage | Maximum dosage |
| Schizophrenia | 13–17 years | 40 mg taken once daily | 40–80 mg taken once daily | 80 mg per day |
| Bipolar I depression | 10–17 years | 20 mg taken once daily | 20–80 mg taken once daily | 80 mg per day |
Source: Epocrates
Latuda dosage restrictions
Not everyone can take Latuda safely. Some people, like those who have an allergic reaction to Latuda or elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis, shouldn’t take lurasidone because of the risks. Other people can take Latuda but will need to watch out for potentially serious side effects. These include elderly patients and people with diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, low white blood cell counts (neutropenia or leukopenia), heart disease, heart rhythm problems, low blood pressure, or low fluid volume in the body. Latuda is also a risk for people who feel depressed or suicidal because it is associated with both worsening depression and provoking suicidal thoughts.
People with kidney problems or liver problems will require a dose reduction. The liver breaks down lurasidone, so people with liver problems will have trouble metabolizing the drug. This means higher concentrations of lurasidone in the body, so there’s a greater risk of side effects.
Renally impaired patients (kidney disease):
Mild to severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance <50): recommended starting dose 20 mg per day; maximum dose 80 mg per day
Dialysis: not defined
Hepatically impaired patients (liver disease):
Moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class B): recommended starting dose 20 mg per day; maximum dose 80 mg per day
Severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class C): recommended starting dose 20 mg per day; maximum dose 40 mg per day
How to take Latuda
Latuda tablets are taken once per day with food. Taking Latuda on an empty stomach will significantly reduce the amount of the drug absorbed by the body.
Take Latuda as instructed by the prescribing healthcare provider. Never exceed the prescribed dose. The dose may need to change several times, so be careful to take the currently prescribed dose.
This medicine should come with a medication guide. Please read this guide every time you fill a prescription for Latuda. If the medication guide is missing, a pharmacist can provide a copy.
Swallow the Latuda tablet whole with a glass of water.
Take each daily dose of Latuda with at least 350 calories
of food.Do not stop taking Latuda until talking to a healthcare provider.
Store Latuda in a closed container protected from moisture. Try to store Latuda at around 77°F, but it’s okay if room temperature varies a bit. To prevent the drug from breaking down, don’t store it in temperatures below 59°F or higher than 86°F.
Latuda dosage FAQs
How long does it take Latuda to work?
Short-term clinical trials have shown that people with schizophrenia or bipolar depression experience a significant clinical response, that is, a reduction in symptoms, within six weeks of starting Latuda. Some people taking Latuda will experience improvements in symptoms sooner.
What happens if I miss a dose of Latuda?
Take a missed dose as soon as it’s remembered, but not if it’s nearly time for the next dose. If that’s the case, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at its scheduled time. Never take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.
How long can you take Latuda?
Healthcare providers use Latuda over the short term for bipolar depression. For schizophrenia, Latuda may be prescribed over the long term as long as it works and side effects aren’t a problem. The prolonged use of Latuda, however, raises the risk for drug-induced movement problems called extrapyramidal symptoms.
How do I stop taking Latuda?
Do not stop taking Latuda until talking to a healthcare provider. Suddenly discontinuing lurasidone can cause antipsychotic withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache, sleeplessness, restlessness, anxiety, sweating, fast heartbeat, muscle pain, and numbness. When Latuda needs to be stopped, a healthcare provider will use a steadily tapering dose to help prevent withdrawal.
If Latuda needs to be discontinued—it doesn’t work or side effects are a problem—there are alternatives. People with schizophrenia can turn to a wide range of typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs. People with bipolar depression can take mood stabilizers over the long term or be prescribed SSRIs in combination with an atypical antipsychotic to treat bipolar depression.
Can you overdose on Latuda?
Call a poison control center or get emergency medical help if too much Latuda has been taken. Urgent medical care may be needed because of possible problems with heart rhythm abnormalities, seizures, or low blood pressure.
What interacts with Latuda?
Several types of drugs and foods can cause problems when taken with Latuda. Fortunately, healthcare providers are well-versed in Latuda drug interactions, so keep a list of all prescription and over-the-counter drugs that are regularly taken. Even some seemingly harmless supplements, like St. John’s wort, might cause serious problems when combined with Latuda, so include all supplements and alternative medicines on the list, too. Share this list with the prescribing healthcare provider.
Several drugs are contraindicated for use with Latuda. Most of these drugs interfere with the liver enzyme that breaks down lurasidone called CYP3A4. Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors such as the antifungal drug ketoconazole could cause lurasidone to rise to dangerous concentrations in the blood, raising the risk of severe adverse effects such as heart rhythm abnormalities, seizures, orthostatic hypotension (a rapid drop in blood pressure when standing), fainting (syncope), and neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
Concomitant use of moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors like diltiazem or verapamil is allowed, but the Latuda doses will have to be reduced. Even grapefruit blocks the body’s metabolism of lurasidone, so it’s a good idea to take grapefruit and grapefruit juice off the table.
On the other hand, some drugs speed up the body’s breakdown of Latuda. Called CYP3A4 inducers, these drugs reduce the benefits of taking Latuda. Some are contraindicated like rifampin and phenytoin. Moderate CYP3A4 inducers can be taken but Latuda doses may need to be increased.
Some drugs add to lurasidone’s adverse reactions such as sedation, depression, seizures, high blood sugar, heatstroke, increased prolactin levels, and heart rhythm problems. Healthcare providers will be cautious about giving these drugs alongside Latuda.
Finally, lurasidone can work against certain medications. For instance, lurasidone raises blood glucose levels, so it partly neutralizes the effects of diabetes medications. Lurasidone can also increase cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, so people taking drugs for high cholesterol or high fat levels may find them less effective.
What happens when you mix Latuda and alcohol?
Sunovion, the manufacturer of Latuda, and the FDA do not specifically prohibit drinking alcohol when Latuda is being taken. Healthcare providers, however, will warn anyone taking an antipsychotic like Latuda to avoid drinking. Combining alcohol with Latuda may worsen side effects such as drowsiness (somnolence), mental impairment, and coordination problems.
Is it safe to take Latuda during pregnancy?
There are no studies that have focused on the risks of taking Latuda while pregnant. There is a risk, however, that if Latuda is taken during the third trimester, babies could be born with antipsychotic withdrawal symptoms or involuntary muscle movements (extrapyramidal symptoms).
There are no studies of the presence of lurasidone in human breast milk or its possible effects on a nursing baby. Before taking Latuda, mothers should get medical advice from a healthcare professional before breastfeeding.
Related resources for Latuda dosages:
Antipsychotic withdrawal symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis
, Frontiers in PsychiatryLatuda
, EpocratesLatuda prescribing information
, U.S. National Library of MedicineLatuda
, SunovionLurasidone hydrochloride drug summary
, Prescriber’s Digital Reference
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