Effect of Short Term Atypical Antipsychotic Administration Compared to Placebo on Hepatic Insulin Extraction

Within the past 20 years, there has been a striking increase in the incidence of obesity 1;2, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) 3-5, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the schizophrenic population 6-8 . Large NIH-funded trials indicate that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome is twice to three times greater in schizophrenic patients on a specific class of drug termed the "atypical antipsychotics" (AAPs), of which olanzapine is an example, as compared to matched controls 8. Identification of the pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to metabolic disease in schizophrenic patients on AAPs has been hampered by the inability to differentiate underlying disease from treatment-emergent complications. In addition, despite falling within the same drug class, different AAPs exhibit differential associations with metabolic disease. Olanzapine is one of the AAPs associated with the greatest weight gain and degree of metabolic impairments.