Severe diabetic ketoacidosis precipitated by an atypical antipsychotic drug

Abstract EN

We report a young Kuwaiti gentleman who presented with severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) associated with atypical antipsychotic drug olanzapine.

The current medical literature suggests that atypical antipsychotic drugs, including olanzapine lead to weight gain, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes mellitus (DM) and rarely patient may present with serious side effects like DKA.

Clinicians are urged to monitor the emergence of metabolic risk factors periodically and remain aware of potentially serious effects like DKA in schizophrenic patients taking olanzapine.