Antipsychotics and Medical Comorbidity: A Retrospective Study in an Urban Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic.

Abstract

Patients with psychotic disorders have increased rates of medical comorbidities. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the relationship between antipsychotics and medical comorbidities among patients with psychotic disorders in an urban psychiatry clinic in Atlanta, Georgia (n = 860). Each antipsychotic group was compared to a group of patients from the same sample who were not on any antipsychotic, and logistic regression models were constructed for each comorbidity. Ziprasidone was associated with diabetes (aOR 2.56, 95% CI 1.03-6.38) and obesity (aOR 3.19, 95% CI 1.37-7.41). Aripiprazole was associated with obesity (aOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.27-4.51). Clozapine was associated with GERD (aOR 3.59, 95% CI 1.11-11.61), movement disorders (aOR 4.44, 95% CI 1.02-19.32), and arrythmias (4.89, 95% CI 1.44-16.64). Two antipsychotics that are considered weight neutral, ziprasidone and aripiprazole, were associated with cardiometabolic comorbidities. This study suggests that research is warranted to study the association between antipsychotics, medical comorbidity, and psychotic symptom burden.