Below are the general guidelines for dosing buspirone. Note that these dosages may be adjusted on a case-by-case basis for individual patients. Always follow your prescribing physician’s instructions for taking buspirone.
The following information comes from DailyMed, an FDA label information provider.
What if I miss a dose of buspirone?
According to Mayo Clinic, if you miss a dose of buspirone, take the missed dose immediately, unless you are closer in time to your next dose. Never double doses.
What if I overdose on buspirone?
**If you believe you or someone you know has overdosed, call 911 immediately for medical assistance.
Signs and Symptoms
In clinical pharmacology trials, doses as high as 375 mg/day were administered to healthy male volunteers. As this dose was approached, the following symptoms were observed: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, miosis, and gastric distress. A few cases of overdosage have been reported, with complete recovery as the usual outcome. No deaths have been reported following overdosage with buspirone alone. Rare cases of intentional overdosage with a fatal outcome were invariably associated with ingestion of multiple drugs and/or alcohol, and a casual relationship of buspirone could not be determined. Toxicology studies of buspirone yielded the following LD50 values: mice, 655 mg/kg; rats, 196 mg/kg; dogs, 586 mg/kg; and monkeys, 356 mg/kg. These dosages are 160 to 550 times the recommended human daily dose.
Recommended Overdose Treatment
General symptomatic and supportive measures should be performed. Respiration, pulse, and blood pressure should be monitored as in all cases of drug overdosage. No specific antidote is known to buspirone, and dialyzability of buspirone has not been determined.
Dosage and Administration
The recommended initial dose is 15 mg daily (7.5 mg twice daily). To achieve an optimal therapeutic response, at intervals of 2 to 3 days the dosage may be increased 5 mg per day, as needed. The maximum daily dosage should not exceed 60 mg per day. In clinical trials allowing dose titration, divided doses of 20 to 30 mg per day were commonly employed.
The bioavailability of buspirone is increased when given with food as compared to the fasted state. Consequently, patients should take buspirone in a consistent manner with regard to the timing of dosing; either always with or always without food.
When buspirone is to be given with a potent inhibitor of CYP3A4 the dosage may be needed to be adjusted.
How is buspirone supplied?
Buspirone HCl Tablets USP are supplied as follows:
5 mg tablets: White, oval, biconvex, scored tablets, debossed WATSON and 657, in bottles of 100, 500, and 1000.
10 mg tablets: White, oval, biconvex, scored tablets, debossed WATSON and 658, in bottles of 100, 500, and 1000.
15 mg tablets: White, oval shaped, scored tablets, debossed with the Watson logo and 718, and scoring on both sides so it can be either bisected or trisected, in bottles of 60, 180, 500, and 1000.
Store at 20° – 25°C (68°- 77°F). [See USP controlled room temperature]. Protect from temperatures greater than 30°C (86°F).
Dispense in a tight, light-resistant container as defined in USP/NF.
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