Study finds rapid weight gain among children taking Zyprexa, Risperdal, Seroquel
Children and adolescents who are prescribed a type of psychiatric drug known as atypical antipsychotics face an increased risk of rapid weight gain and other metabolic changes, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. According to the authors of the study, these changes could increase the children’s risk of diabetes, hypertension or other related conditions.
The JAMA study examined the effects of four atypical antipsychotic drugs on children—Zyprexa, Risperdal, Seroquel and Abilify. Atypical antipsychotics are prescribed to treat a number of conditions, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Of the four drugs, only Risperdal and Abilify have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating children.
Researchers found that patients gained about 1.5 pounds per week and added between 8% and 15% to their total body weight over the 12 week course of the study. Although doctors were aware of the potential for weight gain among patients taking Zyprexa, Risperdal, Seroquel or Abilify, the new study is the first to expose how quickly this weight gain can occur.
Although researchers found that patients taking Zyprexa showed the greatest average weight gain during the study, metabolic changes were still significant among patients taking the three other drugs. Patients taking Abilify—which caused the least serious side effects—still gained an average of one pound per week. Eli Lilly—the manufacturer of Zyprexa—added a warning to the drug’s label in October 2007 about its risk of causing weight gain, high cholesterol, high blood sugar and other side effects.