Antipsychotics and weight gain
Antipsychotic drugs are an important treatment option for psychotic disorders including schizophrenia. Antipsychotic-induced weight gain is a frequently reported adverse drug reaction, particularly to second-generation antipsychotics. The mechanisms of antipsychotic-induced weight gain include genetic, biological and psychosocial factors that are not fully understood. Previous research shows that female gender and younger age are risk factors for developing antipsychotic-induced weight gain. While African Americans appear to have increased risk of antipsychotic-induced weight gain compared to individuals of European descent, East Asians who show reduced risk. However, antipsychotics have an important role to play in alleviating psychotic symptoms. So the balance of its therapeutic benefit and its side effects needs to be weighed in by a medical professional before deciding on its discontinuation or lowering of dosage. References : [1] Wannasuphoprasit, Y., Andersen, S.E., Arranz, M.J.