Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2024 Oct 1;16(10):e70585.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.70585. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Psychosis to Pancreatitis: A Case Study Exploring the Risks of Hypertriglyceridemia in a Patient Treated With Olanzapine

Eduardo D Espiridion  1   2 , Andrew S Murdock  1 , Lorenzo E Guani  1 , Angelica Arshoun  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Psychosis to Pancreatitis: A Case Study Exploring the Risks of Hypertriglyceridemia in a Patient Treated With Olanzapine

Eduardo D Espiridion et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Olanzapine is an antipsychotic medication that is used in the management of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but it is not without any adverse effects. We present the following case of a 24-year-old man with a history of schizoaffective disorder, obesity, and anxiety, who developed hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis after six months on olanzapine. Despite his adherence to the medication, routine metabolic monitoring was not performed leading to a delayed diagnosis of hypertriglyceridemia and subsequent complications. The case underscores the critical need for regular metabolic monitoring in patients prescribed olanzapine to prevent severe adverse effects and guide timely intervention. Enhanced adherence to monitoring guidelines and consideration of alternative treatments may help mitigate such risks.

Keywords: diabetes; hypertriglyceridemia induced pancreatitis; lipids; psychosis; severe pancreatitis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. CT scan of the abdomen with contrast. The image demonstrates diffuse hepatic steatosis (star) and substantial fat stranding as well as fluid extending into the bilateral paracolic gutters (arrow). Fat stranding and fluid accumulation can extend into the bilateral paracolic gutters, consistent with findings in acute pancreatitis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
    1. Willner K, Vasan S, Patel P, Abdijadid S. StatPearls. Vol. 8. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Atypical antipsychotic agents; p. 2024. - PubMed
    1. Clinical pearls for the monitoring and treatment of antipsychotic induced metabolic syndrome. DeJongh BM. Ment Health Clin. 2021;11:311–319. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Analysis of the clinical characteristics of olanzapine-induced acute pancreatitis. He Y, Fang W, Li Z, et al. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2022;12:20451253221079971. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Metabolic syndrome and obesity among users of second generation antipsychotics: a global challenge for modern psychopharmacology. Rojo LE, Gaspar PA, Silva H, Risco L, Arena P, Cubillos-Robles K, Jara B. Pharmacol Res. 2015;101:74–85. - PubMed

Publication types