Posted by SLS on October 21, 2000, at 12:09:30
My thanks to Anita for being so smart...
- Scott
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Nizatidine for Olanzapine Weight GainA common consequence of olanzapine therapy is weight gain. After observing unexpected weight loss in 2 olanzapine-treated patients with schizophrenia, concurrently taking the H2 antagonist nizatidine for peptic esophagitis, the authors elected to use nizatidine in a patient whose olanzapine-associated obesity was particularly burdensome.
A 23-year-old man with paranoid schizophrenia (DSM-IV) responded well to olanzapine but elected to stop taking the medication after a 26-lb weight gain. Ten months later, his weight had returned to baseline but his psychotic symptoms relapsed. Four weeks after restarting olanzapine, he had gained 14 lb and again wanted to stop the olanzapine, despite improvement of his psychotic symptoms. Four weeks after adding 150 mg nizatidine b.i.d. to olanzapine, his weight was unchanged; 4 weeks later, he had lost 9 lb. His weight loss was maintained during the following 2 months of observation.
Although the mechanism is unknown, various published reports have suggested that the H2 receptor antagonist cimetidine can induce weight loss in overweight persons. Controlled trials are needed to learn whether concurrent administration of an H2 antagonist, such as nizatidine, can prevent and/or control olanzapine-associated weight gain.
Sacchetti E, Guarneri L, Bravi D: H2 antagonist nizatidine may control olanzapine-associated weight gain in schizophrenic patients. Biological Psychiatry 2000;48 (July 15):167–168. From University School of Medicine and Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy; and Eli Lilly & Co, Florence.
Drug Trade Names: cimetidine—Tagamet; nizatidine—Axid; olanzapine—Zyprexa
poster:SLS
thread:46967
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001012/msgs/46967.html