Monday, May 18, 2020

Olanzapine and smoking

Q: Olanzapine is a frequently used anti-psychotic in ICU. How it is related to a patient's smoking status? 


Answer: Half life is significantly longer in non-smokers

Olanzapine has an interesting characteristic i.e. its half life gets significantly prolonged in nonsmoker patients, maybe up to more than 50 hours!  Also, half life stays prolonged with kidney and liver insufficiency.


Another less well known effect of Olanzapine is its tendency to cause hyperglycemia.



#pharmacology



Reference:


Skrobik YK, Bergeron N, Dumont M, Gottfried SB. Olanzapine vs haloperidol: treating delirium in a critical care setting. Intensive Care Med 2004; 30:444.

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