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Weight gain induced by antipsychotic drugs can be avoided
January 17, 2008A research team from Université Laval's Faculty of Medicine and Robert-Giffard Hospital has demonstrated that weight gain induced by the use of antipsychotic drugs-which in extreme cases can be as high as 30 kilos in only one month-can be avoided through a specially designed weight control program. The researchers supervised by psychiatrist Marie-Josée Poulin and kinesiologist Angelo Tremblay report the details of their findings in a recent edition of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
The researchers tested their weight control program's effectiveness on a group of 59 patients treated for mental health problems. These people, suffering from schizophrenia and psycho-affective or bipolar disorders, had been using antipsychotic drugs for almost three years on average.
Patients were invited to attend a 90-minute educational session about healthy eating and physical activity. They then took part in two one-hour workout sessions every week for an 18-month period. These workouts included both aerobic and muscle-building exercises and were supervised by kinesiologists.
To evaluate the program's effectiveness, the research team regularly measured the participants' key biochemical and physical parameters and compared them to those of a control group made up of 51 sedentary or moderately active patients also taking antipsychotic medication.
In the control group, subjects' weight, waist size and body mass index increased on average more than 4% from the beginning to the end of the study. Their levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides also went up 15% and 12% respectively.
In contrast, the subjects who took part in the weight control program saw their average weight, waist size and body mass index decrease by 4% or more while their levels of good cholesterol went up 21%, their bad cholesterol went down 14%, and their triglycerides levels decreased by 26%.
"This is encouraging news for people suffering from mental illness because weight gain induced by antipsychotic drugs has several negative effects: it disrupts the lipid profile, increases cardiovascular and diabetes risk, and interferes with effective treatment follow-up," points out Jean-Philippe Chaput, co-author of the study. "Our results highlight the importance of a weight control program designed specifically for people who take antipsychotic drugs. In an ideal world, every prescription for antipsychotic medication should be accompanied by a prescription for physical training," concludes the researcher.
Université Laval
To evaluate the program's effectiveness, the research team regularly measured the participants' key biochemical and physical parameters and compared them to those of a control group made up of 51 sedentary or moderately active patients also taking antipsychotic medication.
In the control group, subjects' weight, waist size and body mass index increased on average more than 4% from the beginning to the end of the study. Their levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides also went up 15% and 12% respectively.
In contrast, the subjects who took part in the weight control program saw their average weight, waist size and body mass index decrease by 4% or more while their levels of good cholesterol went up 21%, their bad cholesterol went down 14%, and their triglycerides levels decreased by 26%.
"This is encouraging news for people suffering from mental illness because weight gain induced by antipsychotic drugs has several negative effects: it disrupts the lipid profile, increases cardiovascular and diabetes risk, and interferes with effective treatment follow-up," points out Jean-Philippe Chaput, co-author of the study. "Our results highlight the importance of a weight control program designed specifically for people who take antipsychotic drugs. In an ideal world, every prescription for antipsychotic medication should be accompanied by a prescription for physical training," concludes the researcher.
Université Laval
Antipsychotic Current Events and Antipsychotic News RSSNewer antipsychotics no better than older drug in treating child and adolescent schizophrenia
Two newer atypical antipsychotic medications were no more effective than an older conventional antipsychotic in treating child and adolescent schizophrenia and may lead to more metabolic side effects, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
First generation antipsychotic drugs as effective as newer ones in some children
Nearly every child who receives an antipsychotic medicine is first prescribed one of the second-generation, or "atypical" drugs, such as olanzapine and risperidone. However, there has never been evidence that these drugs are more effective than the older, first-generation medications.
Risks and benefits of antipsychotics in children and adolescents
Many of the psychiatric disorders observed in adults have their onset in childhood or adolescence. In fact some studies show that at least 20% of children and adolescents will fulfil a diagnostic criterion for a mental disorder before reaching adulthood.
Anti-psychotic drug use in the elderly increases despite drug safety warnings
Three regulatory warnings of serious adverse events slowed the growth of use of atypical antipsychotic drugs among elderly patients with dementia, but they did not reduce the overall prescription rate of these drugs.
Looking beyond the drug receptor for clues to drug effectiveness
Antipsychotic drugs that are widely used to treat schizophrenia and other problems may not work as scientists have assumed, according to findings from Duke University Medical Center researchers that could lead to changes in how these drugs are developed and prescribed.
Estrogen relieves psychotic symptoms in women with schizophrenia
When combined with antipsychotic medications, the estrogen estradiol appears to be a useful treatment in women with schizophrenia, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Violence declines with medication use in some with schizophrenia
Some schizophrenia patients become less prone to violence when taking medication, but those with a history of childhood conduct problems continue to pose a higher risk even with treatment, according to a new study by researchers at Duke University Medical Center.
Short-term use of antipsychotics in older adults with dementia linked to serious adverse events
Older adults with dementia who receive short-term courses of antipsychotic medications are more likely to be hospitalized or die than those who do not take the drugs, according to a report in the May 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Hopkins researchers discover new link to schizophrenia
Neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins have discovered that mice lacking an enzyme that contributes to Alzheimer disease exhibit a number of schizophrenia-like behaviors.
Lack of motivation in schizophrenia linked to brain chemical imbalance
A study of patients with psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia suggests an alternative explanation for why many sufferers lack motivation. The research is described today BioMed Central's journal BMC Psychiatry.
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