CONVENTIONAL AND ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS;

CHANGES IN GLUCOSE AND CHOLESTEROL LEVELS

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to compare changes in fasting blood glucose and serum cholesterol levels following
initiation of conventional and atypical antipsychotics in patients of psychosis. Study Design: An Interventional Comparative design was used.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Department of Psychiatry, Military Hospital Rawalpindi from August 2007 to August
2008. Patients and Methods: A total of 110 patients were assigned to treatment with haloperidol (n=35), risperidone (n=36) and olanzapine
(n=39). Fasting blood glucose and serum cholesterol levels were recorded at baseline and subsequently repeated at 02nd week, 06th week and
08th week of treatment. In all the subjects, all the blood samples were drawn as a fasting sample in early morning. Results: ANOVA analyses
indicated that changes in mean fasting glucose and cholesterol levels reached significance in period 2 (from 2nd week to 6th week) but not in
period 1 (from 0 to 2nd week) and period 3 (from 6th week to 8th week). The increase in mean fasting glucose and cholesterol levels over time
reached statistical significance in the olanzapine group after 6 weeks. No significant change in glucose was detected in the haloperidol and
risperidone groups. Conclusions: There is a higher risk of hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia with olanzapine treatment as compared to
risperidone and haloperidol in the study population. These changes appear between 2 to 6 weeks after starting treatment.