Valbenazine
Generic name: Valbenazine
Brand name: Ingrezza
Dosage form: oral capsule
Drug class:VMAT2 inhibitors
What is valbenazine?
Valbenazine is a drug used to treat a side effect of antipsychotic or neuroleptic medications called tardive dyskinesia.
Tardive dyskinesia is a movement disorder that causes uncontrollable abnormal movements of the jaw, lips and tongue. It is a rare side effect that may occur after long-term use of certain medications that block dopamine receptors, leading to too much dopamine signaling in the brain. These medications are used to treat schizophrenia and other conditions.
Dopamine is a chemical messenger called a monoamine neurotransmitter. It communicates information between nerve cells and and is involved in many bodily functions including movement and mood.
Valbenazine is a type of drug called a VMAT2 (vesicular monoamine transporter 2) inhibitor. It is thought to work by preventing the release of dopamine from small structures (vesicles) within dopamine-producing nerve cells, which reduces extra dopamine signaling in the brain.
Valbenazine is used to treat the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia, but it does not cure the condition. It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2017.
What is valbenazine used for?
Valbenazine is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with movements in the face, tongue, or other body parts that cannot be controlled (tardive dyskinesia).
It is not known if valbenazine is safe and effective in children.
Who should not take valbenazine?
Do not take valbenazine if you:
- are allergic to valbenazine, or any of the ingredients in valbenazine. See below for a complete list of ingredients in valbenazine.
What should I tell my doctor before taking valbenazine?
Before taking valbenazine, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions including if you:
- have liver problems
- have heart disease that is not stable, have heart failure or recently had a heart attack
- have an irregular heart rhythm or heartbeat (QT prolongation, heart arrhythmia)
How should I take valbenazine?
- Take valbenazine exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to. Your healthcare provider will tell you how much valbenazine to take and when to take it.
- Do not stop taking valbenazine without talking to your healthcare provider first.
- Valbenazine can be taken with or without food.
What happens if I overdose?
If you take too much valbenazine, call your poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
Dosing information
- The initial dosage of valbenazine is 40 mg once daily. After one week, the recommended dosage of valbenazine is 80 mg once daily.
- Valbenazine can be taken with or without food.
- The recommended dosage for patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairme...
