Weight Gain Associated with Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs

Park, Hyea Sang; Choi, Kyoung Suk; Lim, Chae Ki

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare weight gain by risperidone, clozapine and olanzapine which are atypical antipsychotic drugs with that by haloperidol which is typical antipsychotic drug.
METHODS
We performed a retrospective chart review of 278 schizophrenic patients who were treated longer than 12 weeks with 4 different drugs. We measure weight gain weekly until 12th week and weight change curve over 12 weeks was drawn. Additionally, we examined any correlations of weight change with some factors.
RESULTS
1) The highest weight gains were observed in the olanzapine and clozapine groups, followed by the risperidone and haloperidol groups. 2) The haloperidol group showed a main weight gain within first 3 weeks, and patients ingested 3 atypical drugs gained weight steadily during 12 weeks. 3) The initial underweight group showed the largest weight gain.
CONCLUSION
This study shows that the atypical antipsychotic drugs induced more weight gain than haloperidol. And we can expect that long-term treatment with clozapine and olanzapine would induce more severe weight gain, particularly in underweight patients.