Pharmacopsychiatry 2009; 42(4): 166-167
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1202262
Letter

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Aripiprazole for the Management of Olanzapine-induced Weight Gain

S. Englisch 1 , A. Weinbrenner 1 , D. Inta 1 , M. Zink 1
  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

received 26.09.2008 revised 22.12.2008

accepted 22.12.2008

Publikationsdatum:
07. Juli 2009 (online)

Preview

Weight gain is an important side effect of olanzapine. One therapeutic strategy might be the add-on of aripiprazole, a partial dopaminergic and serotonergic agonist. Here, we report on four patients who experienced a significant reduction of body weight after aripiprazole was added in a mean dose of 13.8 mg/day to the preexisting olanzapine therapy and olanzapine was reduced from a mean dose of 17.5 to 11.3 mg/day. We did not observe significant changes in fasting glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol. This approach might increase safety, tolerability and patient's adherence to olanzapine treatment and should be further evaluated in controlled trials.

References

Correspondence

M. ZinkMD 

Central Institute of Mental Health

P.O. Box: 12 21 20

68072 Mannheim

Germany

Telefon: +49/621/1703 29 11

Fax: +49/621/1703 12 05

eMail: mathias.zink@zi-mannheim.de