---
title: "Psych News Alert: Exposure to Antipsychotics May Increase Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Youth"
description: A meta-analysis  published today in JAMA Psychiatry  suggests that young people who take antipsychotics may be more likely to develop typ...
---

[Psych News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org)

# [Psych News Alert: Exposure to Antipsychotics May Increase Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Youth](https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/01/exposure-to-antipsychotics-may-increase.html)

 Written by [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) | 1/20/16 5:00 AM

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A [meta-analysis](http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2483011) published today in *JAMA Psychiatry* suggests that young people who take antipsychotics may be more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those not taking the medications.

The findings, wrote study author Chris Correll, M.D. (pictured left), a professor of psychiatry and molecular medicine at Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, and colleagues, emphasize the importance of routine and proactive monitoring of cardiovascular risk factors when prescribing antipsychotics to youth.

Previous studies have shown a clear link between antipsychotic treatment and impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and type II diabetes in adults, but less was known about the type 2 diabetes risk in children and adolescents taking antipsychotics. Correll and colleagues analyzed data from 13 longitudinal studies that reported on incidence of type 2 diabetes in 185,105 youth aged 2 to 24, who were exposed to antipsychotics for at least 3 months.

The study authors found that the type 2 diabetes risk and incidence of type 2 diabetes, respectively, were 2.6-fold and 3.0-fold higher in antipsychotic-exposed youth compared with healthy controls and 2.1-fold and 1.8-fold higher compared with psychiatric controls. A separate analysis of 10 of the studies revealed that type 2 diabetes risk was significantly greater in males compared with females, in youth treated with olanzapine, and in those exposed to antipsychotics over a longer period of time.

“Although the [type 2 diabetes] risk was significantly higher in antipsychotic-exposed youth than in psychiatric controls and healthy controls, the number of actual excess cases was low” during the mean follow-up period of 1.7 years, the study authors noted. “Nevertheless, the clinical importance of these findings is underscored by studies showing increased morbidity and mortality associated with an earlier [type 2 diabetes] onset.”

They concluded, “[A]ntipsychotics should only be used when lower-risk interventions have failed, and differential tolerability profiles should influence the antipsychotic choice, including avoidance of olanzapine.”

For related information, see the *Psychiatric News* article “[Recent Rise in Youth on Antipsychotics Raises Concerns Among Experts](http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2015.4b4).”

(Photo Courtesy of Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine)

[View full post](https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/01/exposure-to-antipsychotics-may-increase.html)

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