clozapine and Hyperlipidemias

Clozapine is an important antipsychotic agent that has a unique profile of clinical benefits, but that has also been associated with several serious and potentially life-threatening safety concerns. In order to minimise the impact of haematological adverse events, health professionals treating patients with clozapine are currently required to register their patients on a centrally administered data network and to conform to strict protocols. The consensus statement documented in this article extends existing protocols by recommending monitoring of patients treated with clozapine for additional adverse effects during treatment. This consensus statement reflects the current practice at five major public psychiatric hospitals in Victoria, Australia, for the monitoring and management of clozapine-related adverse events, and has been implemented at these sites because of emerging safety concerns associating clozapine with cardiovascular and metabolic adverse effects.

Topics: Agranulocytosis; Antipsychotic Agents; Australia; Clozapine; Consensus; Diabetes Mellitus; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Neutropenia; Population Surveillance; Psychotic Disorders; Weight Gain

Atypical antipsychotic medications (second-generation antipsychotics) have been increasingly used in the treatment of a number of psychotic disorders since their introduction in 1988, with the newest medication introduced in 2002. Justification for their use includes claims of equal or improved antipsychotic activity over first-generation antipsychotics, increased tolerability, and decreased side effects. However, there are still significant adverse effects and toxicities with this class of medications. Toxicologic exposures and fatalities associated with atypical antipsychotics continue to increase in the United States, with 32,422 exposures and 72 deaths in 2003. There have also been Food and Drug Administration warnings in the past year about how some atypical antipsychotics have been marketed to minimize the potentially fatal risks and claiming superior safety to other atypical antipsychotics without adequate substantiation, indicating the toxicologic potential of these agents may be underestimated.. Continued research to evaluate adverse effects and tolerability of atypical antipsychotics compared with first-generation antipsychotics and each other is reviewed. This article also reviews the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and drug interactions with these medications. New therapeutic monitoring recommendations for this class of medications have also been proposed. Finally, clinical toxicity in overdose and management are reviewed.. While new atypical antipsychotic medications may have a safer therapeutic and overdose profile than first-generation antipsychotic medications, many adverse and toxic effects still need to be considered in therapeutic monitoring and overdose management.

Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Aripiprazole; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Benzodiazepines; Cardiomyopathies; Child; Clozapine; Diabetes Mellitus; Dibenzothiazepines; Drug Interactions; Drug Overdose; Dry Eye Syndromes; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Hypotension; Olanzapine; Piperazines; Quetiapine Fumarate; Quinolones; Risperidone; Seizures; Thiazoles

The authors presents the state of knowledge on the prevalence and proposed mechanisms leading to weight gain during treatment with atypical antipsychotics. A short review on the therapeutic approaches is also supplied.

Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Body Weight; Clozapine; Dibenzothiazepines; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Leptin; Piperazines; Psychotic Disorders; Quetiapine Fumarate; Risperidone; Thiazoles; Weight Gain

Schizophrenia is associated with several chronic physical illnesses and a shorter life expectancy, compared with life expectancy in the general population. One approach to improving the health of patients with schizophrenia is to improve the monitoring of physical health that occurs in psychiatric settings. The authors discuss a consensus panel's recommendations for improving the physical health monitoring of patients with schizophrenia who are treated in outpatient settings.. A consensus meeting including psychiatric and other medical experts assembled on October 17-18, 2002, to evaluate the existing literature and to develop recommendations for physical health monitoring of patients with schizophrenia. Conference participants reviewed the literature in the following areas: 1) weight gain and obesity; 2) diabetes; 3) hyperlipidemia; 4) prolongation of the QT interval on the ECG; 5) prolactin elevation and related sexual side effects; 6) extrapyramidal side effects, akathisia, and tardive dyskinesia; 7) cataracts; and 8) myocarditis. Experts for each topic area formulated monitoring recommendations that were discussed by all of the participants until a consensus was reached.. Consensus recommendations included regular monitoring of body mass index, plasma glucose level, lipid profiles, and signs of prolactin elevation or sexual dysfunction. Information from monitoring should guide the selection of antipsychotic agents. Specific recommendations were made for cardiac monitoring of patients who receive medications associated with QT interval prolongation, including thioridazine, mesoridazine, and ziprasidone, and for monitoring for signs of myocarditis in patients treated with clozapine. Patients who receive both first- and second-generation antipsychotic medications should be examined for extrapyramidal symptoms and tardive dyskinesia. Patients with schizophrenia should receive regular visual examinations.. The conference participants recommended that mental health care providers perform physical health monitoring that typically occurs in primary care settings for their patients who do not receive physical health monitoring in those settings. This change in usual practice is recommended on the basis of the conference participants' belief that this additional monitoring will result in the earlier detection of common, serious risk factors that could, without detection and intervention, contribute to impaired health of patients with schizophrenia.

Topics: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Cataract; Clozapine; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Health Status; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Hyperprolactinemia; Long QT Syndrome; Monitoring, Physiologic; Myocarditis; Obesity; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Schizophrenia; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological; Weight Gain

Dyslipidemia is an increasing problem in most industrialized societies and is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). Imbalances in individual lipid components, including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and serum triglycerides, have each been shown to contribute to this increased risk. Certain psychiatric patient populations, such as those afflicted with schizophrenia, are of particular concern. Psychiatric patients with schizophrenia are naturally at increased risk for dyslipidemia and obesity, in part due to poor diet and sedentary lifestyle, but these conditions can be exacerbated by some antipsychotic medications. Clozapine and olanzapine, for example, appear to be associated with hyperlipidemia, which may be associated with changes in body weight. Other, newer antipsychotic agents may exhibit less liability for weight gain and the development of dyslipidemia. This review is intended to briefly highlight the association between dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease, the changes in serum lipids associated with some antipsychotic agents, and how these changes in serum lipids affect the monitoring of schizophrenia patients.

Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Benzodiazepines; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, VLDL; Clozapine; Coronary Disease; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Obesity; Olanzapine; Risk Factors; Schizophrenia; Triglycerides; Weight Gain

The pharmacotherapy of schizophrenia remains an ongoing challenge for researchers and clinicians alike. Current medications remain suboptimal to effectively treat this illness despite the recent surge of what are considered to be better antipsychotics: the atypicals. The atypicals cause fewer extrapyramidal symptoms and tardive dyskinesia, but there is growing concern regarding the significant long-term metabolic and cardiac adverse effects of these novel antipsychotics. There are differences among the atypicals in their propensity to produce these adverse effects, and clinicians should weigh the risk-benefit ratio for each drug with each individual patient. Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and unhealthy lifestyle choices are on the rise in the general population, and individuals with chronic schizophrenia are even more at risk. The dilemma clinicians face in trying to avoid the neurological morbidity of the typicals (extrapyramidal side effects and tardive dyskinesia) is the risk of consequently exposing patients to both the morbidity and potential mortality of the atypicals (cardiovascular, endocrine, and metabolic adverse effects). The importance of baseline investigations and monitoring at regular intervals as well as identification of patients at risk for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular morbidity has become crucial. Informed decision making is essential for successful antipsychotic pharmacotherapy. For a condition, which often necessitates long-term pharmacotherapy, the importance of prevention and (or) minimization of morbidity and mortality related to adverse effects of such pharmacotherapy cannot be understated.

Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Chlorpromazine; Clozapine; Diabetes Mellitus; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Long QT Syndrome; Myocarditis; Schizophrenia; Torsades de Pointes

Clozapine remains the most effective agent for treatment-resistant patients with schizophrenia. Recently, treatment with clozapine has been linked to a number of metabolic disturbances, including weight gain, diabetes mellitus, and serum lipid abnormalities. Despite the potential risks of medical morbidities, clozapine continues to have a major role in the care of treatment-resistant patients with schizophrenia. This article discusses the diagnosis and significance of the above metabolic abnormalities and potential mechanisms for these abnormalities as well as recommendations for monitoring and treatment.

Topics: Cholesterol; Clozapine; Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetic Ketoacidosis; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Hypertriglyceridemia; Schizophrenia; Weight Gain

Hormonally related side effects of antipsychotic drugs, e.g. weight gain, hyperlipidemia and diabetes have come to the forefront in that the use of clozapine and new antipsychotics have increased. Hormones involved are prolactin, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), insulin and leptin. Patients treated with clozapine had lower levels of GH-dependent IGF-I than patients receiving classical antipsychotics. Patients treated with olanzapine had higher serum insulin levels than those receiving classical antipsychotics, indicating a probable influence of olanzapine on insulin secretion. In clozapine-treated patients the insulin levels correlated to the clozapine serum concentration, indicating a likely influence also of clozapine on insulin secretion. The gender difference, i.e. that women normally have higher leptin levels than men, was found in patients receiving classical antipsychotics, but not in patients treated with clozapine or olanzapine.

Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Clozapine; Diabetes Mellitus; Female; Human Growth Hormone; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Hyperprolactinemia; Insulin; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; Lipids; Male; Prolactin; Weight Gain

This study was undertaken to examine if patients exhibit more pronounced metabolic abnormalities after 8-year treatment with clozapine or olanzapine than before, and also to investigate whether there exist any differences between long-term clozapine and olanzapine therapies regarding metabolic side- effects.. Fifty psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and on treatment with clozapine or olanzapine were studied during 8 years. Fasting blood or serum samples for glucose, lipids, prolactin and antipsychotic drug concentrations were analyzed. In addition, body mass index was calculated.. More patients treated with olanzapine compared with those treated with clozapine ended with their medication, in most cases because of diabetes mellitus and/or hyperlipidemia, during the 8-year follow-up. Also more patients treated with olanzapine compared with those treated with clozapine developed manifest diabetes mellitus during the 8-year period. Prolactin levels were higher in the patients treated with olanzapine compared with in those treated with clozapine at study start, but there were no differences in the other parameters between the treatment groups at study start. In the patients remaining on their medication all 8 years, the glucose level increased over time in the clozapine group, but not in the olanzapine group, whereas body mass index and lipids were unchanged over time in both treatment groups.. Our findings point to that both olanzapine and clozapine long-term treatments cause development of hyperglycemia and/or hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, olanzapine long-term treatment seems to more often lead to development of manifest diabetes mellitus than long-term treatment with clozapine.

Topics: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Benzodiazepines; Body Mass Index; Clozapine; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Hyperlipidemias; Male; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Olanzapine; Psychotic Disorders; Schizophrenia

This study aimed to assess the lipid-lowering properties of omega-3 fatty acids (also known as n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) in a group of patients taking clozapine.. Twenty-eight persons suffering from schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and currently taking clozapine participated in an open-label single-arm trial. Participants received supplements of 10 g of fish oil (containing 1.8 g of eicosopentaenoic acid and 1.2 g of docosahexaenoic acid) for a period of 28 days. Plasma lipids were measured on days 0 and 28.. This study demonstrated high rates of lipid abnormalities in the participants. Participants taking omega-3 fatty acids demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in mean serum triglyceride levels of 22%. There was an associated increase in total cholesterol (6.6%) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (22%). Common side-effects included fishy burps or breath, but no serious side-effects or interactions where observed.. Omega-3 fatty acids may be of value in patients taking clozapine and who have elevated serum triglyceride levels. Limitations of the study, practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Topics: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, LDL; Clozapine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Female; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Male; Middle Aged; Psychotic Disorders; Schizophrenia; Treatment Outcome; Triglycerides

Adjunctive fluvoxamine inhibits clozapine metabolism and decreases plasma norclozapine (a toxic metabolite of clozapine) to clozapine ratios. This study aimed to demonstrate the effects of fluvoxamine on clozapine-related weight gain, hyperglycemia, and lipid abnormalities.. Sixty-eight treatment-resistant inpatients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia were randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups for 12 weeks. The monotherapy group (N = 34) received clozapine (< or = 600 mg/day). The coadministration group (N = 34) received fluvoxamine (50 mg/day) plus low-dose clozapine (< or = 250 mg/day). The study was conducted from August 1999 to October 2002.. The 2 groups were similar in demographic data; baseline body weight and body mass index (BMI); baseline serum glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels; and steady-state plasma clozapine concentration. The monotherapy patients (but not the coadministration patients) had significantly higher (p < .05) body weight, BMI, and serum glucose and triglyceride levels after treatment than at baseline. At week 12, the monotherapy patients also had significantly higher glucose (p = .035), triglyceride (p = .041), and norclozapine (p = .009) (and numerically higher cholesterol) levels than the cotreatment patients. The changes in weight and serum glucose and triglyceride levels were significantly correlated (p = .026, p = .005, and p = .028, respectively) with the plasma concentration of norclozapine but not with plasma levels of clozapine.. These results suggest that fluvoxamine cotreatment can attenuate weight gain and metabolic disturbances in clozapine-treated patients. Plasma levels of norclozapine, but not clozapine, are associated with increases in weight and serum glucose and triglyceride levels. Of note, coadministration of fluvoxamine could increase plasma clozapine levels markedly and carry the risk of adverse events. If this combined treatment is applied, conservative introduction with reduced clozapine dosage and careful therapeutic drug monitoring of clozapine concentration is recommended.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Blood Glucose; Cholesterol; Clozapine; Drug Interactions; Drug Monitoring; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Fluvoxamine; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Hyperlipidemias; Male; Middle Aged; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Triglycerides; Weight Gain

Cardiometabolic health significantly impacts on the mortality of people with severe mental illness. Clozapine has the greatest efficacy for Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia (TRS) but the greatest negative impact on cardiometabolic health. Balancing the risks and benefits of treatment, dignity, autonomy, liberty, mental and physical health can be challenging, particularly when imposing interventions with potentially life threatening adverse events, such as clozapine. We describe the successful administration of clozapine in the face of myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism and hyperlipidaemia resulting in the termination of long-term seclusion for a gentleman with TRS in high secure psychiatric services.. The impact of clozapine on a 44-year-old gentleman with TRS, extreme violence requiring physical restraint and long-term segregation, and numerous other significant physical health complications is described. He had metabolic syndrome; a poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, Body Mass Index (BMI) of 31.5, poorly controlled lipids and had smoked heavily since childhood. During preparations to initiate clozapine, he suffered a myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism. His compliance with secondary prevention medications was poor due to paranoid persecutory and somatic delusions. Despite these concerns, nasogastric administration of clozapine was approved and prescribed within nine months of his myocardial infarction and a month from his pulmonary embolism but was ultimately not required. Accepting oral medication, his mental state made a rapid and dramatic improvement. After spending 1046 days in seclusion, this was terminated 94 days after clozapine initiation. He has been compliant with all medications for 24 months, had no incidents of violence or seclusion, and has been transferred to medium secure services. His physical health stabilised despite continuing to lead a sedentary lifestyle and remaining obese (BMI of 35). He developed hypertension, Type II Diabetes Mellitus and his triglycerides rose to 22.2 mmol/L in the same month after clozapine initiation. However, with pharmacological intervention, 24 months later these are controlled, and he has had no further thromboembolic events.. We highlight that despite significant physical health concerns, clozapine can be successfully initiated and safely prescribed with a significantly positive effect on both the psychiatric and holistic care of patients with treatment resistant schizophrenia.

Topics: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Clozapine; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Involuntary Treatment, Psychiatric; Male; Metabolic Syndrome; Myocardial Infarction; Pulmonary Embolism; Schizophrenia

The authors compared the effectiveness of initiating treatment with either clozapine or a standard antipsychotic among adults with evidence of treatment-resistant schizophrenia in routine clinical practice.. U.S. national Medicaid data from 2001 to 2009 were used to examine treatment outcomes in a cohort of patients with schizophrenia and evidence of treatment resistance that initiated clozapine (N=3,123) and in a propensity score-matched cohort that initiated a standard antipsychotic (N=3,123). Interventions were new initiation of clozapine or a standard antipsychotic medication, defined as no exposure to the new medication in the prior 365 days. The primary outcome was hospital admission for a mental disorder. Secondary outcomes included discontinuation of the index antipsychotic, use of an additional antipsychotic, incidence of serious medical conditions, and mortality.. Initiation of clozapine was associated with a significantly decreased rate of psychiatric hospital admission (hazard ratio=0.78, 95% CI=0.69-0.88), index antipsychotic discontinuation (hazard ratio=0.60, 95% CI=0.55-0.65), and use of an additional antipsychotic (hazard ratio=0.76, 95% CI=0.70-0.82). Clozapine was associated with significantly increased incidence of diabetes mellitus (2.8% for clozapine vs. 1.4% for standard antipsychotic; hazard ratio=1.63, 95% CI=0.98-2.70), hyperlipidemia (12.9% for clozapine vs. 8.5% for standard antipsychotic; hazard ratio=1.40, 95%CI=1.09-1.78), and intestinal obstruction (0.9% for clozapine vs. 0.3% for standard antipsychotic; hazard ratio=2.50, 95% CI=0.97-6.44).. In adults with schizophrenia and evidence of treatment resistance, initiating clozapine compared with initiating a standard antipsychotic was associated with greater effectiveness on several important outcomes. Increasing the judicious use of clozapine is warranted together with vigilance to prevent and detect serious medical adverse effects.

Topics: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Clozapine; Cohort Studies; Databases, Factual; Diabetes Mellitus; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Intestinal Obstruction; Logistic Models; Male; Medicaid; Mental Health Services; Middle Aged; Proportional Hazards Models; Psychotic Disorders; Retrospective Studies; Schizophrenia; Treatment Outcome; United States

Topics: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Clozapine; Constipation; Drug Utilization; Female; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Inpatients; Male; Polypharmacy; Schizophrenia; Sialorrhea

Topics: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Atorvastatin; Cholesterol; Clozapine; Female; Fenofibrate; Gemfibrozil; Heptanoic Acids; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Hypolipidemic Agents; Lovastatin; Male; Middle Aged; Pravastatin; Psychotic Disorders; Pyrroles; Retrospective Studies; Schizophrenia; Treatment Outcome; Triglycerides

Atypical antipsychotics have been related with hyperglycaemia, diabetes mellitus, weight gain and lipid alterations in some patients. This study analyzed whether continuous treatment with risperidone, olanzapine, or clozapine entails a risk of glucose or lipid metabolism alterations in schizophrenic patients.. Patients included in this study were schizophrenics who had received mono-therapeutic with clozapine, olanzapine or risperidone for a period of 1 to 3 years. Those schizophrenic patients who were diagnosed as diabetic during psychiatric treatment and those who showed fasting glycemia greater than or equal to 126 mg/dl in two consecutive measurements were considered cases. The remaining schizophrenic patients who were receiving treatment and did not show these alterations were considered controls.. In the adjusted analysis (multivariate logistic regression) of the effect of antipsychotic treatment on the presence of diabetes, which also assessed age and body-mass index, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for olanzapine relative to risperidone was 2.22 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-4.22), (p = 0.0228); and that for clozapine relative to risperidone was 2.87 (95% CI, 1.19, 6.93), (p = 0.0192). Both results reveal a significantly greater risk for the appearance of diabetes mellitus in patients treated with olanzapine or clozapine than in those treated with risperidone. There were significant differences in the risk of increase in triglycerides in patients receiving olanzapine (OR = 1.34; p = 0.0075) and clozapine (OR = 1.58; p = 0.0028).. The risk of the appearance of diabetes mellitus in patients treated with olanzapine is twice as high as that in patients treated with risperidone, and the risk in patients treated with clozapine is nearly triple as high as that found in patients treated with risperidone. Risperidone appears to be a safer antipsychotic drug in the long term, with regard to the risk of alterations in glucose and lipid metabolism.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antipsychotic Agents; Benzodiazepines; Case-Control Studies; Clozapine; Diabetes Mellitus; Female; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Hyperlipidemias; Male; Middle Aged; Olanzapine; Risk Factors; Risperidone; Schizophrenia

To report a case of severe clozapine-induced hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia that resolved after therapy was switched to aripiprazole.. A 42-year-old white man with schizoaffective disorder experienced new-onset hyperlipidemia with the addition of clozapine therapy. Despite treatment with various antihyperlipidemic agents, his total cholesterol level reached 477 mg/dL and his triglyceride level reached 4758 mg/dL. After a decrease in adherence with clozapine and subsequent deterioration, the patient was hospitalized and his antipsychotic therapy was switched to aripiprazole. The patient's lipid levels improved dramatically to the point that antihyperlipidemic treatment was discontinued. Due to lack of adequate symptomatic relief of psychiatric symptoms, the patient was ultimately switched back to clozapine therapy, at which time his lipid levels started to worsen again.. There is a critical scarcity of data that relate to aripiprazole-induced lipid changes. Some studies have suggested that aripiprazole is not associated with the development of hyperlipidemia. Our case indicates that aripiprazole therapy may not have an adverse effect on lipid levels, even in patients who have a history of hyperlipidemia induced by another atypical antipsychotic.. Should aripiprazole be found to have a definitive lipid-neutral effect, then clinicians would be wise to factor this finding into overall benefit-versus-risk considerations in the antipsychotic treatment selection process, especially in a society in which cardiovascular disease continues to be a principal cause of morbidity and mortality.

Topics: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Aripiprazole; Cholesterol; Clozapine; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia; Hyperlipidemias; Male; Piperazines; Psychotic Disorders; Quinolones

This study assesses whether competitive displacement of clozapine by warfarin affects clozapine's overall plasma distribution.. Warfarin sodium was preincubated in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic plasma samples in varying concentrations. Following the preincubation with warfarin, [3H]clozapine mixed with unlabeled clozapine was added to the plasma samples. The plasma was separated into its lipoprotein and lipoprotein-deficient fractions by density gradient ultracentrifugation, and clozapine distribution was determined.. When normolipidemic plasma was preincubated with various concentrations of warfarin, no significant redistribution of clozapine was noted among the various plasma lipoprotein fractions. However, in the case of the hyperlipidemic plasma, preincubating with warfarin did result in a significant redistribution of clozapine from the lipoprotein-deficient fraction to the very-low-density and low-density fractions of lipoproteins. Based on pharmacokinetic principles, the steady-state unbound concentration of clozapine in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic plasma is not expected to change.. Although no change in the steady-state unbound (active) concentration of clozapine would predict no change in clinical status, it is possible that this may only apply to the individuals with a normal lipid profile. We believe clozapine's association with lipoproteins (particularly triglycerides) may actually increase clozapine's effectiveness.

Topics: Algorithms; Binding, Competitive; Blood Proteins; Centrifugation, Density Gradient; Cholesterol, HDL; Cholesterol, VLDL; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Clozapine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Lipoproteins, LDL; Technology, Pharmaceutical; Tritium; Warfarin

The goal of this 10-year naturalistic study was to examine, in clozapine-treated patients, the change in cardiovascular risk factors following clozapine initiation and the mortality estimates from cardiovascular disease.. Data were collected from medical records from January 1992 to December 2003 and included age, gender, race, diagnosis, family history of diabetes, and age at clozapine initiation for clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (DSM-IV criteria). Clozapine dosage and laboratory results were recorded at 12-month intervals.. At the time of clozapine initiation, the mean +/-?SD age of the 96 patients studied was 36.5 +/- 7.9 years; 28% (N = 27) were women. The Kaplan-Meier estimate for 10-year mortality from cardiovascular disease was 9%. African American and Hispanic American patients exhibited elevated risk of cardiovascular disease-related mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 7.2, p = .09; OR = 11.3, p = .04, respectively) compared to white patients. Body mass index (BMI) significantly increased the odds ratio of mortality (OR = 1.2, p < .01). The Kaplan-Meier estimate for new-onset diabetes mellitus was approximately 43%, and Hispanic American (OR = 4.3, p = .027) and African American (OR = 11.5, p = .0001) patients showed elevated risks of developing diabetes mellitus compared to white patients. Additionally, BMI (OR = 1.11, p = .0006), total cholesterol level (OR = 1.006, p = .04), and serum triglyceride level (OR = 1.002, p = .04) modestly increased the odds ratio for the development of diabetes mellitus.. These results support the hypothesis that clozapine-treated patients appear to be at risk for death from cardiovascular disease secondary to clozapine-associated medical disorders such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.

Topics: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Black or African American; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cause of Death; Clozapine; Comorbidity; Diabetes Mellitus; Female; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Metabolic Syndrome; Psychotic Disorders; Risk Factors; Risperidone; Schizophrenia; Survival Analysis

Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Benzodiazepines; Cholesterol; Clozapine; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Hyperlipidemias; Olanzapine; Pirenzepine; Schizophrenia; Triglycerides

The novel antipsychotics are extensively used based on their favorable extrapyramidal side effect profiles. However, accumulating evidence suggests that these agents, particularly clozapine and olanzapine, have serious side effects of their own, including weight gain and elevated glucose and triglyceride levels. The goal of this study is to compare the effects of novel antipsychotics clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, and quetiapine and typical antipsychotics haloperidol and fluphenazine on glucose and lipid levels.. The charts of 590 patients were retrospectively reviewed. Of those, 215 patients had adequate laboratory data for inclusion. Glucose and lipid level data from 2 1/2 years before and after initiation of the target antipsychotic were included. Covariates, including patients' age, the duration of antipsychotic treatment, other medications that may affect glucose or lipid levels, and the initial laboratory values, were controlled for in the analyses.. Glucose levels were increased from baseline for patients treated with clozapine, olanzapine, and haloperidol. There were statistically and clinically significant differences among the medications' effects on lipid profiles (p < .05). Those receiving clozapine and olanzapine demonstrated statistically significant increases in triglyceride levels compared with the other groups. Over one third of patients treated with any of the novel antipsychotics had clinically meaningful triglyceride elevations.. It has been shown that novel antipsychotics are associated with weight gain. This risk factor along with others, such as elevated glucose and triglyceride levels, compounds the risk for coronary artery disease. Routine monitoring of glucose and lipid levels during treatment with novel antipsychotics should be advocated.

Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Benzodiazepines; Blood Glucose; Body Mass Index; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, HDL; Cholesterol, LDL; Clozapine; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Dibenzothiazepines; Female; Haloperidol; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Lipids; Male; Middle Aged; Olanzapine; Pirenzepine; Psychotic Disorders; Quetiapine Fumarate; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Risperidone; Triglycerides; Weight Gain

The authors' goal was to determine what effect dyslipidemia has on clozapine's plasma distribution.. [(3)H]Clozapine plus cold clozapine (335 ng/ml) were incubated in plasma samples with varying total cholesterol, lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations. Following incubation, the plasma was separated into its lipoprotein and lipoprotein-deficient fractions by density gradient ultracentrifugation and clozapine distribution was determined.. Compared with the plasma standard, significantly more clozapine was recovered in the very-low-density lipoprotein fraction, which contained elevated total cholesterol and triglycerides. Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between total plasma triglyceride concentration and clozapine recovery in this fraction.. In plasma samples with elevated triglycerides, clozapine shifts from the lipoprotein-deficient fraction to the very-low-density lipoprotein fraction. This redistribution of clozapine may affect the pharmacological activity of clozapine.

Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Centrifugation, Density Gradient; Cholesterol; Clozapine; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Lipoproteins; Triglycerides

Numerous case reports have linked clozapine to the development of diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia in patients with schizophrenia. However, investigators have been unable to clearly demonstrate this association when compared with a control group receiving conventional antipsychotics.. Medical and pharmacy claims from the Iowa Medicaid program were used to compare incidence rates for diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension in 552 patients receiving clozapine and 2461 patients receiving conventional antipsychotics (eg, haloperidol, chlorpromazine hydrochloride), with the use of a retrospective cohort design. Logistic regression was used to compare incidence rates adjusting for age, sex, and duration of available follow-up.. No significant differences in overall incidence rates for diabetes, hyperlipidemia, or hypertension were observed in patients receiving clozapine vs conventional antipsychotics. However, among younger patients (aged 20-34 years), clozapine administration was associated with a significantly increased relative risk of diabetes (2.5 [95% confidence interval, 1.2-5.4]) and hyperlipidemia (2.4 [95% confidence interval, 1.1-5.2]), but not hypertension (0.9 [95% confidence interval, 0.4-2.0]).. These data suggest that clozapine may not be an independent cause of diabetes or hyperlipidemia, but instead acts as an effect modifier in susceptible populations by increasing weight or affecting insulin secretion and resistance. This finding requires confirmation in other settings and patient populations and with the other atypical antipsychotics (risperidone, olanzapine, and quetiapine fumarate). The potential long-term medical and economic implications of the early induction of diabetes and hyperlipidemia in patients with schizophrenia warrant further study.

Topics: Adult; Age Factors; Antipsychotic Agents; Causality; Clozapine; Cohort Studies; Confidence Intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Hypertension; Incidence; Iowa; Male; Middle Aged; Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; Retrospective Studies; Risk; Schizophrenia

1. This case report of a Chinese male schizophrenic patient describes new side effects that have not been documented previously for patients treated with clozapine. At certain doses of clozapine, the patient showed direct adverse reactions, which include a combination of hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia, and periodic paralysis. 2. In a four-year study of this patient who had no previous episodes of diabetes in his or his family history, the authors found that these symptoms disappeared upon withdrawal of clozapine and relapsed with re-treatment of the drug. This study indicates that hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia, and periodic paralysis may need to be monitored on patients treated with clozapine.

Topics: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents; Blood Glucose; Clozapine; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Hyperlipidemias; Male; Paralysis; Schizophrenia; Triglycerides