Antipsychotic medication metabolic risk study

A study published in The Lancet Psychiatry by researchers from University College London has identified the first 90 days of second-generation antipsychotic treatment as a critical window for rapid metabolic changes. Analyzing NHS records for nearly 97,000 adults in England, the research found that during this initial three-month period, HbA1c levels rose approximately 14 times faster and weight increased approximately nine times faster than in the pre-treatment period.

The study specifically examined medications such as olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, and aripiprazole. Olanzapine was noted to have the most significant impact, with HbA1c rising roughly 50 times faster and weight increasing 10 times faster than baseline levels.

Researchers emphasized that monitoring weight alone may be insufficient because blood sugar and weight changes do not always occur simultaneously. Additionally, the findings indicated that women experienced steeper early increases in HbA1c than men, and individuals with prediabetes faced a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes within two years of starting treatment.