Read About Ingrezza Dosage and Important Safety Information

Ingrezza contains valbenazine and belongs to a group of medicines called vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitors. The U.S. prescribing information indicates its use for adults with tardive dyskinesia or chorea associated with Huntington’s disease.

Ingrezza Dosage and Administration

The prescribed dosage depends on the condition being treated and individual factors. For tardive dyskinesia, the usual starting dosage is 40 mg once daily. After one week, the recommended dosage is increased to 80 mg once daily. Depending on response and tolerability, a healthcare professional may consider continuing 40 mg or using 60 mg once daily instead. For chorea associated with Huntington’s disease, treatment starts at 40 mg once daily, with increases of 20 mg every two weeks as appropriate, up to the recommended 80 mg once-daily dosage.

Important administration considerations include:

• Ingrezza can be taken with or without food.
• The available capsule strengths are 40 mg, 60 mg, and 80 mg.
• People with moderate or severe hepatic impairment are generally recommended to receive 40 mg once daily.
• Known CYP2D6 poor metabolizers are generally recommended to receive 40 mg once daily.
• Strong CYP3A4 inducers are not recommended for use with Ingrezza.
• Strong CYP3A4 or CYP2D6 inhibitors may require the Ingrezza dosage to be reduced to 40 mg once daily.

Patients should take Ingrezza exactly as prescribed and should not change the dose without discussing it with their healthcare professional.

Important Safety Information for Ingrezza

Ingrezza has several important warnings and precautions. The prescribing information includes a boxed warning concerning depression and suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients with Huntington’s disease. Patients and caregivers should watch for new or worsening depression, suicidal thoughts, or unusual behavioral changes and promptly communicate concerns to the treating healthcare professional.

Other important safety considerations include:

• Sleepiness and sedation: Ingrezza can cause somnolence or sedation. Patients should avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until they understand how the medicine affects them.
• QT prolongation: Ingrezza may increase the QT interval. It should be avoided in people with congenital long QT syndrome or certain arrhythmias associated with prolonged QT intervals.
• Hypersensitivity: Serious allergic reactions, including angioedema, have been reported. Treatment should be discontinued if such a reaction occurs.
• Parkinsonism: Parkinson-like symptoms, including movement difficulties, tremor, gait problems, or rigidity, can occur. Dose reduction or discontinuation may be considered if clinically significant symptoms develop.
• Neuroleptic malignant syndrome: This rare but potentially life-threatening reaction requires immediate medical attention and discontinuation of the medicine.

The most common adverse reaction reported in trials involving tardive dyskinesia was somnolence. Other reported reactions included balance problems, headache, nausea, vomiting, and restlessness.

Understanding Ingrezza dosage and safety information is important for appropriate use. The medicine is generally taken once daily, but the dose may need adjustment based on the treated condition, liver function, metabolism, and other medicines. Patients should discuss their complete medication list and medical history with their healthcare professional before and during treatment. This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice.