Disturbances of glucose and lipid metabolism during treatment with new generation antipsychotics.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper is to review the recent literature about alterations of lipid and glucose metabolism in patients treated with second generation antipsychotics. This article also addresses possible underlying mechanisms of these changes and discusses ways of preventing these side-effects as well as their management.


RESULTS
There is a considerable number of reports on this issue but very few prospective controlled trials dealing with this very important subject. This review further focuses on the question of whether there is a difference with respect to such alterations between the available new generation antipsychotics, depending on their receptor profiles.


CONCLUSIONS
As adverse metabolic effects have a high impact on the physical health of schizophrenia patients as well as on their treatment adherence, this is a topic of major clinical relevance, with implications for public health.
Rettenbacher
Maria A
MA
Department of Biological Psychiatry, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. maria.rettenbacher@uibk.ac.at