Metabolic effects of olanzapine and risperidone in patients with psychotic disorders.

Objectives. Atypical anti-psychotic drugs are new medications proposed for treating psychotic disorders. This study was designed to investigate the metabolic (blood sugar and lipid) and adverse effects of olanzapine and risperidone in psychotic patients. Methods. In this randomized double-blinded clinical trial, psychotic patients were randomly categorized to be treated with olanzapine or risperidone. All the subjects were initially assessed for blood sugar and lipids, and, where normal, were included. Blood sugar and lipids measurements were performed for all subjects at 1 week and after 3 months the initiation of therapy, and they were assessed for other complications as well. The data were subsequently analyzed using SPSS software. Results. The levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride rose significantly after 1 week and 3 months of therapy (P<0.001); the difference in rise of cholesterol and triglyceride in the olanzapine and the risperidone groups was significant (P<0.001), whereas the difference in blood sugar rise was not significant (P>0.05). Other complications including restlessness, impotence, weight gain, edema and drowsiness were significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion. According to the study findings, we recommend more caution in the application of atypical antipsychotic drugs in high risk patients.