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There are numerous factors that predispose patients with schizophrenia to develop metabolic syndrome and become overweight including: physical passivity, unhealthy diet and anti-psyhotic treatment. The prevalence of anti-psychotic-related metabolic disturbances has been reported to vary from 23% to 50% and clozapine and olanzapine had the most pronounced potential to cause metabolic syndrome. We present the case of 32-year-old male who has been diagnosed with first episode schizophrenia spectrum psychosis and has been treated for 3 months in the community mental health center. He was medication–compliant and was prescribed olanazapine 10 mg a day and had initial remission of symptoms. The reason behind referral to our department of psychiatry was development of metabolic syndrome. Immediately upon admission to our department basic panel blood tests (minerals, creatinin, glucose, tryglicerides and cholesterol) as well as complete blood count were done. Patient reported gaining weight of more than 5 kilograms since the initiation of the olanzapine treatment. Results of the performed metabolic tests in addition to abnormal BMI and slightly higher blood pressure have indicated presence of metabolic syndrome. In order to try to reverse metabolic syndrome aripiprazole was commenced adjunctive to olanzapine. During the first week the dosage of aripiprazole was 2.5 mg/day, second week 5 mg/day and then increased to 10 mg a day. Three weeks after adding aripiprazole to olanzapine lab values of holesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose as well as BMI were significantly lowered and symptoms of the metabolic syndrome were mitigated. Treatment was well tolerated.
Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.
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