Atypical antipsychotics are a group of different types of FDA-approved drugs used to treat used to treat psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia. They are referred to as atypical because they function in a different manner from the typical antipsychotics. However, these drugs have been associated with excessiveweight gain. This can be attributed to the following reasons:
- Firstly, antipsychotic medication can cause changes in metabolic effects which may lead to an increase in weight. These metabolic side effects include abnormal glucose as well as lipid metabolism can also lead to diabetes which is potentially life-threatening.
- Secondly, atypical antipsychotics cause weight gain through activation of the hypothalamic AMP-kinase associated with the histamine H1 receptor. The hypothalamic AMP-kinase is associated with food intake regulation. Thus the antipsychotic drugs can stimulate appetite, thereby leading the patient to eat more than he or she would normally eat. The patient gets constant food cravings and begins to engage in binge eating. This will naturally result in weight gain.
Atypical antipsychotics are very effective in treating psychiatric conditions but their effectiveness is greatly hampered by the weight gain. For patients on atypical antipsychotics medication, it is advisable to put in place a weight management intervention program to protect them from other potentially serious health problems such as obesity and cardiovascular related illnesses. Also, doctors should consider using atypical antipsychotics which have a lesser likelihood of causing weight gain. Atypical antipsychotics such as clozapine and olanzapine are the most likely culprits that bring about weight gain. On the other hand, ziprasidone is less likely to bring about weight gain.