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Contribution to Book
Weight-Gain in Psychiatric Treatment: Risks, Implications, and Strategies for Prevention and Management
Psychopharmacology Today: Some Issues (2010)
  • Amresh Srivastava, University of Western Ontario
  • Megan E. Johnston, University of Toronto
Abstract

Weight-gain in psychiatric populations is a common clinical challenge. Many patients suffering from mental disorders, when exposed to psychotropic medications, gain significant weight with or without other side-effects. In addition to reducing the patients' willingness to comply with treatment, this weight-gain may create added psychological or physiological problems that need to be addressed. Thus, it is critical that clinicians take precautions to monitor and control weight-gain and take into account and treat all problems facing an individual. In this review, we examine some of the key issues surrounding weight-gain in individuals suffering from mental disorders for contemporary practitioners in community clinics. We describe some factors known to make certain patients more susceptible to treatment-induced weight-gain and mechanisms implicated in this process. We also highlight a few psychological and pharmacological interventions that have proven effective in weight management. Importantly, we provide critical steps for management and prevention of weight-gain and related issues in the clinical practice of psychopharmacology.

Keywords
  • Weight gain,
  • psychiatric patients,
  • antipsychotics,
  • antidepressants,
  • treatment-induced weight-gain,
  • psychopharmacology
Publication Date
2010
Editor
Ajai R. Singh and Shakuntala A. Singh
Publisher Statement
Published as a book chapter in: Psychopharmacology Today: Some Issues. Ajai R. Singh and Shakuntala A. Singh. (Eds.).
Citation Information
Amresh Srivastava and Megan E. Johnston. "Weight-Gain in Psychiatric Treatment: Risks, Implications, and Strategies for Prevention and Management" Psychopharmacology Today: Some Issues (2010)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/amreshsrivastava/71/