Zyprexa, Seroquel and Risperdal Increase Risk of Heart Failure

The New York Times reports about a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) this week indicating that the antipsychotic drugs Zyprexa, Seroquel and Risperdal, used to treat such problems as schizophrenia, autism and dementia, double the patients risk of dying from sudden heart failure. The study indicates that the risk of death from these drugs is not high (about 3 percent in people being treated with these drugs over the past 10 years) and the risk was no different than older antipsychotic drugs. However, along with the study, an editorial was published in the NEJM suggesting doctors limit prescribing these medications, especially to children and the elderly, who are very susceptible to the problems caused by these drugs, especially weight gain issues.
These newer antipsychotics were promoted as being safer alternatives to the older antipsychoitcs, but this study, as well as earlier studies indicate these group of drugs have significant problems of their own and they are much more expensive than the older antipsychotics. Moreover, there is some indication that these drugs are no more effective than the older, cheaper alternatives. Clearly, people with pre-existing heart conditions need to address the safety of taking these medications with their physicians.
In a related issue, Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Zyprexa, agreed to a $1.4 billion settlement on criminal and civil charges that it illegally marketed Zyprexa by promoting its use in children and the elderly to treat “disruptive” children and to use in nursing home patients to reduce “nursing time and effort” i.e. keep the old people quiet. Zyprexa has been found in a government study to be no more effective in children than older medicines but have more serious side effects such as gaining significant amounts of weight. For a discussion of the entire sorted story of Lilly’s handling of this drug, see this article in the New York Times. Lilly’s side of the story, i.e. we are a good corporate citizen, can be found here.