Source: European Medicines Agency (EU) Revision Year: 2021 Publisher: Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Papendorpseweg 83, 3528 BJ Utrecht, The Netherlands
Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.
Concomitant use of Cymbalta with nonselective, irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) is contraindicated (see section 4.5).
Liver disease resulting in hepatic impairment (see section 5.2).
Cymbalta should not be used in combination with fluvoxamine, ciprofloxacin or enoxacin (i.e. potent CYP1A2 inhibitors) since the combination results in elevated plasma concentrations of duloxetine (see section 4.5).
Severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance <30 ml/min) (see section 4.4).
The initiation of treatment with Cymbalta is contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled hypertension that could expose patients to a potential risk of hypertensive crisis (see sections 4.4 and 4.8).
Cymbalta should be used with caution in patients with a history of mania or a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and/or seizures.
Mydriasis has been reported in association with duloxetine, therefore, caution should be used when prescribing Cymbalta to patients with increased intraocular pressure, or those at risk of acute narrowangle glaucoma.
Duloxetine has been associated with an increase in blood pressure and clinically significant hypertension in some patients. This may be due to the noradrenergic effect of duloxetine. Cases of hypertensive crisis have been reported with duloxetine, especially in patients with pre-existing hypertension. Therefore, in patients with known hypertension and/or other cardiac disease, blood pressure monitoring is recommended, especially during the first month of treatment. Duloxetine should be used with caution in patients whose conditions could be compromised by an increased heart rate or by an increase in blood pressure. Caution should also be exercised when duloxetine is used with medicinal products that may impair its metabolism (see section 4.5). For patients who experience a sustained increase in blood pressure while receiving duloxetine either dose reduction or gradual discontinuation should be considered (see section 4.8). In patients with uncontrolled hypertension duloxetine should not be initiated (see section 4.3).
Increased plasma concentrations of duloxetine occur in patients with severe renal impairment on haemodialysis (creatinine clearance <30 ml/min). For patients with severe renal impairment, see section 4.3. See section 4.2 for information on patients with mild or moderate renal dysfunction.
As with other serotonergic agents, serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition, may occur with duloxetine treatment, particularly with concomitant use of other serotonergic agents (including SSRIs, SNRIs tricyclic antidepressants or triptans), with agents that impair metabolism of serotonin such as MAOIs, or with antipsychotics or other dopamine antagonists that may affect the serotonergic neurotransmitter systems (see sections 4.3 and 4.5).
Serotonin syndrome symptoms may include mental status changes (e.g., agitation, hallucinations, coma), autonomic instability (e.g., tachycardia, labile blood pressure, hyperthermia), neuromuscular aberrations (e.g. hyperreflexia, incoordination) and/or gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea).
If concomitant treatment with duloxetine and other serotonergic agents that may affect the serotonergic and/or dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems is clinically warranted, careful observation of the patient is advised, particularly during treatment initiation and dose increases.
Adverse reactions may be more common during concomitant use of Cymbalta and herbal preparations containing St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum).
Depression is associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts, self harm and suicide (suicide-related events). This risk persists until significant remission occurs. As improvement may not occur during the first few weeks or more of treatment, patients should be closely monitored until such improvement occurs. It is general clinical experience that the risk of suicide may increase in the early stages of recovery.
Other psychiatric conditions for which Cymbalta is prescribed can also be associated with an increased risk of suicide-related events. In addition, these conditions may be co-morbid with major depressive disorder. The same precautions observed when treating patients with major depressive disorder should therefore be observed when treating patients with other psychiatric disorders.
Patients with a history of suicide-related events or those exhibiting a significant degree of suicidal thoughts prior to commencement of treatment are known to be at greater risk of suicidal thoughts or suicidal behaviour, and should receive careful monitoring during treatment. A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled clinical trials of antidepressant medicinal products in psychiatric disorders showed an increased risk of suicidal behaviour with antidepressants compared to placebo in patients less than 25 years old.
Cases of suicidal thoughts and suicidal behaviours have been reported during duloxetine therapy or early after treatment discontinuation (see section 4.8).
Close supervision of patients and in particular those at high risk should accompany medicinal product therapy especially in early treatment and following dose changes. Patients (and caregivers of patients) should be alerted about the need to monitor for any clinical worsening, suicidal behaviour or thoughts and unusual changes in behaviour and to seek medical advice immediately if these symptoms present.
As with other medicinal products with similar pharmacological action (antidepressants), isolated cases of suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviours have been reported during duloxetine therapy or early after treatment discontinuation. Concerning risk factors for suicidality in depression, see above. Physicians should encourage patients to report any distressing thoughts or feelings at any time.
Cymbalta should not be used in the treatment of children and adolescents under the age of 18 years. Suicide-related behaviours (suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts), and hostility (predominantly aggression, oppositional behaviour and anger), were more frequently observed in clinical trials among children and adolescents treated with antidepressants compared to those treated with placebo. If, based on clinical need, a decision to treat is nevertheless taken, the patient should be carefully monitored for the appearance of suicidal symptoms (see section 5.1). In addition, long-term safety data in children and adolescents concerning growth, maturation and cognitive and behavioural development are lacking (see section 4.8).
There have been reports of bleeding abnormalities, such as ecchymoses, purpura and gastrointestinal haemorrhage with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), including duloxetine. Duloxetine may increase the risk of postpartum haemorrhage (see section 4.6). Caution is advised in patients taking anticoagulants and/or medicinal products known to affect platelet function (e.g. NSAIDs or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)), and in patients with known bleeding tendencies.
Hyponatraemia has been reported when administering Cymbalta, including cases with serum sodium lower than 110 mmol/l. Hyponatraemia may be due to a syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). The majority of cases of hyponatraemia were reported in the elderly, especially when coupled with a recent history of, or condition pre-disposing to, altered fluid balance. Caution is required in patients at increased risk for hyponatraemia, such as elderly, cirrhotic, or dehydrated patients or patients treated with diuretics.
Withdrawal symptoms when treatment is discontinued are common, particularly if discontinuation is abrupt (see section 4.8). In clinical trials adverse events seen on abrupt treatment discontinuation occurred in approximately 45% of patients treated with Cymbalta and 23% of patients taking placebo. The risk of withdrawal symptoms seen with SSRI’s and SNRI’s may be dependent on several factors including the duration and dose of therapy and the rate of dose reduction. The most commonly reported reactions are listed in section 4.8. Generally these symptoms are mild to moderate, however, in some patients they may be severe in intensity. They usually occur within the first few days of discontinuing treatment, but there have been very rare reports of such symptoms in patients who have inadvertently missed a dose. Generally these symptoms are self-limiting and usually resolve within 2 weeks, though in some individuals they may be prolonged (2-3 months or more). It is therefore advised that duloxetine should be gradually tapered when discontinuing treatment over a period of no less than 2 weeks, according to the patient’s needs (see section 4.2).
Data on the use of Cymbalta 120 mg in elderly patients with major depressive disorder and generalised anxiety disorder are limited. Therefore, caution should be exercised when treating the elderly with the maximum dosage (see sections 4.2 and 5.2).
The use of duloxetine has been associated with the development of akathisia, characterised by a subjectively unpleasant or distressing restlessness and need to move often accompanied by an inability to sit or stand still. This is most likely to occur within the first few weeks of treatment. In patients who develop these symptoms, increasing the dose may be detrimental.
Duloxetine is used under different trademarks in several indications (treatment of diabetic neuropathic pain, major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder and stress urinary incontinence). The use of more than one of these products concomitantly should be avoided.
Cases of liver injury, including severe elevations of liver enzymes (>10 times upper limit of normal), hepatitis and jaundice have been reported with duloxetine (see section 4.8). Most of them occurred during the first months of treatment. The pattern of liver damage was predominantly hepatocellular. Duloxetine should be used with caution in patients treated with other medicinal products associated with hepatic injury.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)/serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) may cause symptoms of sexual dysfunction (see section 4.8). There have been reports of long-lasting sexual dysfunction where the symptoms have continued despite discontinuation of SSRIs/SNRIs.
Cymbalta hard gastro-resistant capsules contain sucrose. Patients with rare hereditary problems of fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption or sucrase-isomaltase insufficiency should not take this medicine.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per capsule, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.
Due to the risk of serotonin syndrome, duloxetine should not be used in combination with non-selective irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), or within at least 14 days of discontinuing treatment with an MAOI. Based on the half-life of duloxetine, at least 5 days should be allowed after stopping Cymbalta before starting an MAOI (see section 4.3).
The concomitant use of Cymbalta with selective, reversible MAOIs, like moclobemide, is not recommended (see section 4.4). The antibiotic linezolid is a reversible non-selective MAOI and should not be given to patients treated with Cymbalta (see section 4.4).
Because CYP1A2 is involved in duloxetine metabolism, concomitant use of duloxetine with potent inhibitors of CYP1A2 is likely to result in higher concentrations of duloxetine. Fluvoxamine (100 mg once daily), a potent inhibitor of CYP1A2, decreased the apparent plasma clearance of duloxetine by about 77% and increased AUCo-t 6-fold. Therefore Cymbalta should not be administered in combination with potent inhibitors of CYP1A2 like fluvoxamine (see section 4.3).
The risk of using duloxetine in combination with other CNS-active medicinal products has not been systematically evaluated, except in the cases described in this section. Consequently, caution is advised when Cymbalta is taken in combination with other centrally acting medicinal products or substances, including alcohol and sedative medicinal products (e.g. benzodiazepines, morphinomimetics, antipsychotics, phenobarbital, sedative antihistamines).
In rare cases, serotonin syndrome has been reported in patients using SSRIs/SNRIs concomitantly with serotonergic agents. Caution is advisable if Cymbalta is used concomitantly with serotonergic agents like SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclic antidepressants like clomipramine or amitriptyline, MAOIs like moclobemide or linezolid, St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) or triptans, tramadol, pethidine and tryptophan (see section 4.4).
The pharmacokinetics of theophylline, a CYP1A2 substrate, were not significantly affected by co-administration with duloxetine (60 mg twice daily). Medicinal products metabolised by CYP2D6: Duloxetine is a moderate inhibitor of CYP2D6. When duloxetine was administered at a dose of 60 mg twice daily with a single dose of desipramine, a CYP2D6 substrate, the AUC of desipramine increased 3-fold. The co-administration of duloxetine (40 mg twice daily) increases steady state AUC of tolterodine (2 mg twice daily) by 71%, but does not affect the pharmacokinetics of its active 5-hydroxyl metabolite and no dosage adjustment is recommended. Caution is advised if Cymbalta is co-administered with medicinal products that are predominantly metabolised by CYP2D6 (risperidone, tricyclic antidepressants [TCAs] such as nortriptyline, amitriptyline, and imipramine) particularly if they have a narrow therapeutic index (such as flecainide, propafenone and metoprolol).
Results of in vitro studies demonstrate that duloxetine does not induce the catalytic activity of CYP3A. Specific in vivo drug interaction studies have not been performed.
Caution should be exercised when duloxetine is combined with oral anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents due to a potential increased risk of bleeding attributable to a pharmacodynamic interaction. Furthermore, increases in INR values have been reported when duloxetine was co-administered to patients treated with warfarin. However, concomitant administration of duloxetine with warfarin under steady state conditions, in healthy volunteers, as part of a clinical pharmacology study, did not result in a clinically significant change in INR from baseline or in the pharmacokinetics of R- or S-warfarin.
Co-administration of duloxetine with aluminium- and magnesiumcontaining antacids or duloxetine with famotidine had no significant effect on the rate or extent of duloxetine absorption after administration of a 40 mg oral dose.
Population pharmacokinetic analyses have shown that smokers have almost 50% lower plasma concentrations of duloxetine compared with non-smokers.
In animal studies, duloxetine had no effect on male fertility, and effects in females were only evident at doses that caused maternal toxicity.
Studies in animals have shown reproductive toxicity at systemic exposure levels (AUC) of duloxetine lower than the maximum clinical exposure (see section 5.3).
Two large observational studies do not suggest an overall increased risk of major congenital malformation (one from the US including 2,500 exposed to duloxetine during the first trimester and one from the EU including 1,500 exposed to duloxetine during the first trimester). The analysis on specific malformations such as cardiac malformations shows inconclusive results.
In the EU study, maternal exposure to duloxetine during late pregnancy (at any time from 20 weeks gestational age to delivery) was associated with an increased risk for preterm birth (less than 2-fold, corresponding to approximately 6 additional premature births per 100 women treated with duloxetine late in pregnancy). The majority occurred between 35 and 36 weeks of gestation. This association was not seen in the US study.
The US observational data have provided evidence of an increased risk (less than 2-fold) of postpartum haemorrhage following duloxetine exposure within the month prior to birth.
Epidemiological data have suggested that the use of SSRIs in pregnancy, particularly in late pregnancy, may increase the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in the newborn (PPHN). Although no studies have investigated the association of PPHN to SNRI treatment, this potential risk cannot be ruled out with duloxetine taking into account the related mechanism of action (inhibition of the re-uptake of serotonin).
As with other serotonergic medicinal products, discontinuation symptoms may occur in the neonate after maternal duloxetine use near term. Discontinuation symptoms seen with duloxetine may include hypotonia, tremor, jitteriness, feeding difficulty, respiratory distress and seizures. The majority of cases have occurred either at birth or within a few days of birth.
Cymbalta should be used in pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the foetus. Women should be advised to notify their physician if they become pregnant, or intend to become pregnant, during therapy.
Duloxetine is very weakly excreted into human milk based on a study of 6 lactating patients, who did not breast feed their children. The estimated daily infant dose on a mg/kg basis is approximately 0.14% of the maternal dose (see section 5.2). As the safety of duloxetine in infants is not known, the use of Cymbalta while breast-feeding is not recommended.
No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed. Cymbalta may be associated with sedation and dizziness. Patients should be instructed that if they experience sedation or dizziness they should avoid potentially hazardous tasks such as driving or operating machinery.
The most commonly reported adverse reactions in patients treated with Cymbalta were nausea, headache, dry mouth, somnolence, and dizziness. However, the majority of common adverse reactions were mild to moderate, they usually started early in therapy, and most tended to subside even as therapy was continued.
Table 1 gives the adverse reactions observed from spontaneous reporting and in placebo-controlled clinical trials.
Table 1. Adverse reactions:
Frequency estimate: Very common (≥1/10), common (≥1/100 to <1/10), uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100), rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000), very rare (<1/10,000).
Within each frequency grouping, undesirable effects are presented in order of decreasing seriousness.
| Very common | Common | Uncommon | Rare | Very Rare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infections and infestations | ||||
| Laryngitis | ||||
| Immune system disorders | ||||
| Anaphylactic reaction Hyper-sensitivity disorder | ||||
| Endocrine disorders | ||||
| Hypo-thyroidism | ||||
| Metabolism and nutrition disorders | ||||
| Decreased Appetite | Hyperglycaemia (reported especially in diabetic patients) | Dehydration Hyponatraemia SIADH6 | ||
| Psychiatric disorders | ||||
| Insomnia Agitation Libido decreased Anxiety Orgasm abnormal Abnormal dreams | Suicidal ideation5,7 Sleep disorder Bruxism Disorientation Apathy | Suicidal behaviour5,7 Mania Hallucinations Aggression and anger4 | ||
| Nervous system disorders | ||||
| Headache Somnolence | Dizziness Lethargy Tremor Paraesthesia | Myoclonus Akathisia7 Nervousness Disturbance in attention Dysgeusia Dyskinesia Restless legs syndrome Poor quality sleep | Serotonin syndrome6 Convulsion1 Psychomotor restlessness6 Extra-pyramidal symptoms6 | |
| Eye disorders | ||||
| Blurred vision | Mydriasis Visual impairment | Glaucoma | ||
| Ear and labyrinth disorders | ||||
| Tinnitus1 | Vertigo Ear pain | |||
| Cardiac disorders | ||||
| Palpitations | Tachycardia Supra-ventricular arrhythmia, mainly atrial fibrillation | |||
| Vascular disorders | ||||
| Blood pressure increase3 Flushing | Syncope2 Hypertension3,7 Orthostatic hypotension2 Peripheral coldness | Hypertensive crisis3,6 | ||
| Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders | ||||
| Yawning | Throat tightness Epistaxis | Interstitial lung disease10 Eosinophilic pneumonia6 | ||
| Gastrointestinal disorders | ||||
| Nausea Dry mouth | Constipation Diarrhoea Abdominal pain Vomiting Dyspepsia Flatulence | Gastrointestinal haemorrhage7 Gastroenteritis Eructation Gastritis Dysphagia | Stomatitis Haematochezia Breath odour Microscopic colitis9 | |
| Hepato-biliary disorders | ||||
| Hepatitis3 Elevated liver enzymes (ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase) Acute liver injury | Hepatic failure6 Jaundice6 | |||
| Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders | ||||
| Sweating increased Rash | Night sweats Urticaria Dermatitis contact Cold sweat Photo-sensitivity reactions Increased tendency to bruise | Stevens-Johnson Syndrome6 Angio-neurotic oedema6 | Cutaneous vasculitis | |
| Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | ||||
| Musculo-skeletal pain Muscle spasm | Muscle tightness Muscle twitching | Trismus | ||
| Renal and urinary disorders | ||||
| Dysuria Pollakiuria | Urinary retention Urinary hesitation Nocturia Polyuria Urine flow decreased | Urine odour abnormal | ||
| Reproductive system and breast disorders | ||||
| Erectile dysfunction Ejaculation disorder Ejaculation delayed | Gynaecological haemorrhage Menstrual disorder Sexual dysfunction Testicular pain | Menopausal symptoms Galactorrhoea Hyperprolactinaemia Postpartum haemorrhage6 | ||
| General disorders and administration site conditions | ||||
| Falls8 Fatigue | Chest pain7 Feeling abnormal Feeling cold Thirst Chills Malaise Feeling hot Gait disturbance | |||
| Investigations | ||||
| Weight decrease | Weight increase Blood creatine phosphokinase increased Blood potassium increased | Blood cholesterol increased | ||
1 Cases of convulsion and cases of tinnitus have also been reported after treatment discontinuation.
2 Cases of orthostatic hypotension and syncope have been reported especially at the initiation of treatment.
3 See section 4.4.
4 Cases of aggression and anger have been reported particularly early in treatment or after treatment discontinuation.
5 Cases of suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviours have been reported during duloxetine therapy or early after treatment discontinuation (see section 4.4).
6 Estimated frequency of post-marketing surveillance reported adverse reactions; not observed in placebo-controlled clinical trials.
7 Not statistically significantly different from placebo.
8 Falls were more common in the elderly (≥65 years old).
9 Estimated frequency based on all clinical trial data.
10 Estimated frequency based on placebo-controlled clinical trials.
Discontinuation of duloxetine (particularly when abrupt) commonly leads to withdrawal symptoms. Dizziness, sensory disturbances (including paraesthesia or electric shock-like sensations, particularly in the head), sleep disturbances (including insomnia and intense dreams), fatigue, somnolence, agitation or anxiety, nausea and/or vomiting, tremor, headache, myalgia, irritability, diarrhoea, hyperhydrosis and vertigo are the most commonly reported reactions.
Generally, for SSRIs and SNRIs, these events are mild to moderate and self-limiting, however, in some patients they may be severe and/or prolonged. It is therefore advised that when duloxetine treatment is no longer required, gradual discontinuation by dose tapering should be carried out (see sections 4.2 and 4.4).
In the 12 week acute phase of three clinical trials of duloxetine in patients with diabetic neuropathic pain, small but statistically significant increases in fasting blood glucose were observed in duloxetinetreated patients. HbA1c was stable in both duloxetine-treated and placebo-treated patients. In the extension phase of these studies, which lasted up to 52 weeks, there was an increase in HbA1c in both the duloxetine and routine care groups, but the mean increase was 0.3% greater in the duloxetinetreated group. There was also a small increase in fasting blood glucose and in total cholesterol in duloxetine-treated patients while those laboratory tests showed a slight decrease in the routine care group.
The heart rate-corrected QT interval in duloxetine-treated patients did not differ from that seen in placebo-treated patients. No clinically significant differences were observed for QT, PR, QRS, or QTcB measurements between duloxetine-treated and placebo-treated patients.
A total of 509 paediatric patients aged 7 to 17 years with major depressive disorder and 241 paediatric patients aged 7 to 17 years with generalised anxiety disorder were treated with duloxetine in clinical trials. In general, the adverse reaction profile of duloxetine in children and adolescents was similar to that seen for adults.
A total of 467 paediatric patients initially randomized to duloxetine in clinical trials experienced a 0.1 kg mean decrease in weight at 10-weeks compared with a 0.9 kg mean increase in 353 placebo-treated patients. Subsequently, over the four- to six-month extension period, patients on average trended toward recovery to their expected baseline weight percentile based on population data from age- and gender-matched peers.
In studies of up to 9 months an overall mean decrease of 1% in height percentile (decrease of 2% in children (7-11 years) and increase of 0.3% in adolescents (12-17 years)) was observed in duloxetinetreated paediatric patients (see section 4.4).
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national reporting system listed in Appendix V.
Not applicable.
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