A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that older adult patients given antipsychotic drugs such as Zyprexa and Seroquel had an almost four times greater risk of injury within the first month of use than those who were not given the drugs.
The study
Conducted by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences of Ontario Canada and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the study looked at over 40,000 Canadian older adult patients suffering from dementia who were given both newer antipsychotic drugs such as Zyprexa and Seroquel and older drugs such as Haloperidol between 1997 and 2004. Researchers concluded that certain patients taking the drugs were almost four more times as likely to suffer a “serious event” such as a stroke, hospitalization or death.
The authors of the study say that nearly 17 percent of individuals admitted to nursing homes are starting on antipsychotic medication within 100 days, and 10 percent receive only a single prescription. They warned that, given the widespread use of short-term prescriptions, it is important to evaluate the [patient’s] safety.
What is Zyprexa?
Zyprexa (which is the drug olanzapine) is manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company. It is a new "atypical" antipsychotic medication that works to reduce symptoms of schizophrenia by blocking various serotonin and dopamine receptors. It received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996 to treat patients with schizophrenia.
Zyprexa has been linked to several serious side effects including diabetes, hyperglycemia and other blood sugar disorders and the FDA has required Eli Lilly to include warnings alerting patients of these side effects.
What is Seroquel?
Seroquel (which is the drug quetiapine fumarate) is manufactured by Zeneca Pharmaceuticals. It is also a new “atypical” antipsychotic oral medication that affects neurotransmitter and serotonin receptors and is used to treat schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. It received FDA approval in 1997 to treat patients with schizophrenia. Seroquel has been associated with a high incidence of diabetes.