Psychotropic Drug Induced Metabolic Disorders.

ABSTRACT

According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in April, the leading cause of death contibuting to that shortened lifespan is not the patients’ mental illness, but rather something largely preventable cardiovascular disease. Metabolic disorders are known complications of newer antipsychotics. The term Metabolic Syndrome refers to a syndrome consisting of central obesity as indicated by excessive visceral fat, plasma lipid abnormalities, glucose dysregulation, and high blood pressure. The metabolic syndrome develops gradually, different drugs have differential propensity to cause it. This is a dreadful condition as it induces medical morbidities, which may be life threatening in patients. The criteria for diagnosing the metabolic syndrome propsed by the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) are the most current and widely used but are not universally accepted. Common manifestations are dyslipidemia, hypertension, weight gain, increase in blood glucose etc. This review covers the latest available information on the drug — induced metabolic syndrome. Risk factors and mechanisms are discussed.