Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Olanzapine and Diabetes

A new study just published in the journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry found a significant increase in diabetes among patients taking olanzapine (Zyprexa), which is one of the second generation antipsychotics discussed yesterday here and here.

It would be quite ironic (at the very least) if the evidence continued to mount that olanzapine, which was often marketed as less likely to produce serious side effects than older antipsychotics, ended up causing as many or more health problems than the older and much cheaper medications. The results of the latest study should not be suprising, as other researchers have also found olanzapine use is related to significant health problems (especially diabetes), as can be seen here and here and here. Indeed, given the health risks associated with olanzapine, one is hard pressed to understand, rationally, why it is so often prescribed when safer agents are available.

Link to the most recent article's summary here.

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