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Olanzapine Dosing
For olanzapine to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. The recommended starting oral olanzapine dose for schizophrenia is olanzapine 5 mg to 10 mg once daily. For the treatment of bipolar disorder, the recommended starting dose is 10 mg to 15 mg once daily. With either condition, the maximum olanzapine dosage is 20 mg a day. Besides the medical condition being treated, your age and the severity of your condition are among the factors that can affect olanzapine dosing.
The dose of olanzapine (Zyprexa®) your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
- The medical condition being treated
- Your age
- The severity of your condition
- Other medical conditions you may have
- Other medications you may be currently taking.
As always, do not adjust your olanzapine dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
The recommended starting oral olanzapine dose for treating schizophrenia in adults is olanzapine 5 mg to 10 mg once daily. If you start at less than olanzapine 10 mg daily, your healthcare provider may increase the dose of olanzapine to 10 mg within the first few days.
The recommended starting oral olanzapine dose for adolescents (age 13 to 17) with schizophrenia is 2.5 to 5 mg once daily, with a target dose of 10 mg per day (although higher doses may sometimes be necessary).
After that, your healthcare provider may choose to increase the olanzapine dosage further if symptoms continue or decrease the dose if side effects occur. The maximum dose recommended for olanzapine is 20 mg per day.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD