Diabetes Health in the News Podcast: Antipsychotics Increase Youth Diabetes Risk

May 4, 2016 Nadia Al-Samarrie

Researchers have recently found a connection between the use of antipsychotic medications and an increase in type 2 diabetes risk in young patients. Using the information found in PsycINFO and PubMed through May 2015, researchers examined type 2 diabetes and antipsychotics in children, adolescents, and teens that did not have diabetes at baseline. They were then followed for an average of 1.7 years.

The study showed that youth who received a minimum of three months of antipsychotics were 2-3 times more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes compared to the control youth. This risk was most apparent with olanzapine, confirming that olanzapine treatment is an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Researchers suggest that antipsychotics should only be given if safer treatment methods have failed and if proper counseling is provided regarding healthy nutrition, physical activity, and possible adverse effects.

These findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry on January 20, 2016.