Effects of Atypical Antipsychotics on Weight and Serum Lipid Levels

Psychiatrists have become particularly concerned about health issues in patients with schizophreniabecause of emerging data that link some of the newer atypical antipsychotics with both significantweight gain and increases in serum triglyceride levels. Excessive weight gain during antipsychotictherapy has an adverse effect on health and medication compliance, while hyperlipidemia presents anadditional cardiovascular risk factor in patients with schizophrenia who typically smoke, are inactive,and possess poor dietary habits. An understanding of appropriate monitoring for metabolic adverseeffects is important for those who prescribe atypical antipsychotics, as is a working knowledge ofbehavioral and pharmacologic treatments for weight gain and hyperlipidemia.