Volume 182 - Issue 6
Diabetes, psychotic disorders and antipsychotic therapy: a consensus statement
Authors: Timothy J R Lambert and Leon H Chapman
Med J Aust 2005; 182 (6): 310. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2005.tb06714.x
Published online: 21 March 2005
Published online: 21 March 2005
Timothy J R Lambert,* Leon H Chapman†
* Director, OPEN (Office for Psychiatric Evaluation and Educational NewMedia), Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, 7th Floor, Charles Connibere Building, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3050; † Diabetologist, International Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC. lamberttATunimelb.edu.au
In reply: Our article did not ignore the relative diabetic potential of various antipsychotic drugs. We wrote “clozapine and olanzapine are associated with greater weight gain and a higher occurrence of diabetes and dyslipidaemia than risperidone and quetiapine”, and so on.1
However, the article was not aimed to influence prescribing habits, but rather to alert health professionals to the relative metabolic risks both inherent in people with psychosis and arising from treatment with antipsychotic drugs in general, and the consequent need for constant assessment. The article tried to emphasise the need to balance risk versus benefit. We also tried to underline the need to effectively treat the illness (ie, the psychosis) with the most appropriate agent. Ignoring this would be akin to not using corticosteroids in severe asthma for fear of metabolic consequences.
Finally, the article is a pointer to the full consensus statement, which is available on the Internet at www.psychiatry.unimelb.edu.au/open/diabetes_consensus/ and may be downloaded without charge.
References
- Lambert TJR, Chapman LH, on behalf of the Consensus Working Group. Diabetes, psychotic disorders and antipsychotic therapy: a consensus statement. Med J Aust 2004; 181: 544-548. GEEEFBIH