Study finds link between Zyprexa and diabetes
A study presented at a meeting of the International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology has found that patients who took the antipsychotic drug Zyprexa were at a much higher risk for developing diabetes. The study analyzed data from 5,981 military veterans who were taking Zyprexa. Scientists found that patients who took the drug increased their risk of developing diabetes by about 50%.
While a link between diabetes and Zyprexa has long been suspected by doctors, the ISP study is the first confirmation of this link. Doctors say that Zyprexa side effects include rapid weight gain and changes to blood lipid levels, which can lead to diabetes and hypoglycemia.
Zyprexa is part of a class of drugs known as atypical antipsychotics, which are prescribed to treat psychological conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Atypical antipsychotics can be more effective in treating these conditions than older drugs and are less likely to produce other serious side effects, such as a movement disorder known as tardive dyskinsia. Because of this, Zyprexa has become Eli Lilly’s best-selling drug ever. But with confirmation of the scientific link between Zyprexa and diabetes, doctors may be less willing to prescribe drugs like Zyprexa in such high numbers, as knowledge of its dangerous side effects becomes better understood.