Management of Drug-induced Weight Gain in Persons Receiving Psychotropic Drugs

Abstract

Weight gain is common in patients with severe mental illness and contributes to cardiovascular risk. Medications, such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers, are commonly associated with weight gain. In addition, antidiabetic drugs (insulin, sulfonylureas, and thiazolidinediones), antihypertensives (beta-blockers), and corticosteroids, which are commonly used to treat comorbid medical conditions, contribute to weight gain. In clinical practice, simple measures, such as body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference, can be used to monitor the metabolic risk of psychotropic drugs. Lifestyle modifications, including dietary advice and exercise, help in preventing weight gain. The clinician can choose relatively weight-neutral drugs for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. For the patients having weight gain with psychotropic drugs, several nonpharmacological and pharmacological management strategies are available.