Real-world Data on Atypical Antipsychotic Medication Side Effects.

In this article, we provide information on patient-reported side effects from a cross-section of real-world patients. Specifically, data on side effects were tabulated for patients taking at least one of the following atypical antipsychotic medications: aripiprazole, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone, or ziprasidone. Approximately 54 percent of the 353 respondents reported having experienced a side effect as a result of taking an atypical antipsychotic medication. Most common side effects mentioned included the following: weight gain/hunger, tiredness/lethargy, and lack of coordination/muscle problems, such as tenderness, twitches, and tremors. Of those experiencing a side effect, less than 25 percent reported this side effect to their physician.