A study conducted by Vanderbilt University Medical Center indicates that prescribing atypical antipsychotic medication to children and young adults with mood disorders and behavioral problems may also put them at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Young people using medication such as olanzapine, aripiprazol, risperidone, and quetiapine led to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes by three times compared to young adults not under such medications.
The study included analysis of state-provided and de-identified medical records of TennCare youths between the ages 6 to 24 years old. The records were collected from 1996 through 2007. Children who were prescribed with atypical antipsychotics for their behavioral problems and mood disorders were compared to other kids who were given age-approved medication for their condition. The results showed that those who took atypical antipsychotic treatment were three times at risk of developing type 2 diabetes the following year. The risk increases as cumulative dosages were increased. The risk also persisted for up to a year after the medications were stopped.
While there were previous studies that associate the use of atypical antipsychotics with increased type 2 diabetes risk, this is the very first large and well-designed study that takes a look at the risk involving children. According to Wayne A Ray, Ph.D. a professor of Preventive Medicine and senior author of the study, “Because we wanted to address this question of risk for indications for which there were therapeutic alternatives, we deliberately excluded those taking antipsychotics for schizophrenia and other psychoses; thus, our entire sample consisted of patients for whom there were alternatives to antipsychotics.”
The authors of the study note that the use of these drugs to treat non-psychosis-related mood and behavioral disorders form a majority of prescriptions in children and the youth. Ray and his team also pointed out that the development of type 2 diabetes in this age group is considered rare. Of the 29,000 children belonging to the antipsychotic medication group and 14,400 children in the control group, only 106 were diagnosed and treated for type 2 diabetes.
The researchers wanted to point out that there is a need to carefully examine the use of antipsychotic medication for kids with mood and behavioral disorders. There are alternative medication and treatment available that doctors can prescribe to prevent the unnecessary risk.
Source: Sciencedaily
Tags: antipsychotic medication, behavioral problems, Diabetes News, diabetes risk, mood disorders, type 2 diabetes