Antipsychotic drugs raise blood sugar

High levels of blood sugar, also known as hyperglycaemia, is a common finding in individuals taking atypical antipsychotics. Over a 2-year period, researchers from the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, New Haven, USA, examined the frequency of undiagnosed high blood sugar in 647 patients taking atypical antipsychotics, including clozapine, risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, or ziprasadone. It was found that the blood sugar levels were normal in 70 percent subjects, elevated in 25 percent and very elevated in a little more than 5 percent. No significant differences in race, ethnicity, age, body mass index or psychiatric diagnosis were observed between those with normal and patients with abnormal blood sugar results. When the researchers analysed the antipsychotic medications prescribed, they found that significantly more patients receiving clozapine, were in the elevated blood sugar group than in the normal blood sugar group. No significant differences were observed for any of the other medications. The finding that nearly one in three patients receiving atypical antipsychotics (especially clozapine) who are thought to have normal blood sugar levels, actually have demonstrable and clinically significant abnormalities of glucose metabolism argues for periodic screening in even large outpatient populations.