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Many Patients Not Monitored for Drug Effects

Popular psychiatric medications such as Abilify, Risperdal and Zyprexa carry certain risks for heart disease and diabetes. That is why people taking these medications should have regular tests of their blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
A new study suggests, however, that many patients are not being monitored appropriately. Over 100,000 Medicaid patients were tracked between 2002 and 2005. Only 10 percent had cholesterol levels checked and less than one third had blood sugar measured. This low rate of testing persisted despite warnings from the FDA that the drugs carry substantial risks. The lead investigator recommends that patients and their families be proactive in requesting appropriate monitoring for these serious metabolic problems.
[Archives of General Psychiatry, Jan., 2010]

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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