Zyprexa

Zyprexa is an anti-psychotic medication made by Eli Lilly & Co., and approved in 1996 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar mania. Zyprexa is a member of a class of drugs known as "second generation anti-psychotics" (SGAs) or "atypical anti-psychotics". Of the six SGAs currently available on the market, Zyprexa - generic name, olanzapine - is the most commonly prescribed drug.

On June 9, 2005, Eli Lilly & Co. announced that it will pay nearly $700 million to settle about three-quarters of the current liability cases. These cases claim that labels on Zyprexa failed to provide adequate warning that the drug could put patients more at risk for developing diabetes. Most of the nearly 8,000 lawsuits claim that before September 2003, the information on Zyprexa labels did not adequately warn patients that taking the drug might put them at risk of developing hyperglycemia and diabetes. In September 2003, the FDA ordered Eli Lilly & Co. to revise the labeling and product information. Among the more serious outcomes resulting from hyperglycemic abnormalities are diabetic ketoacidosis, diabetic coma and, in some cases, death.

In February 2004, Eli Lilly & Co. notified doctors and psychiatrists that elderly patients with dementia face an increased risk of stroke with Zyprexa treatment. While not approved for use in elderly dementia patients, or for anxiety or depression, physicians still prescribed the drug on an "off-label" basis. Off-label use refers to the practice of marketing or prescribing a drug in a different dose, for a longer period of time, or for a different medical condition than approved by the FDA.

Other health risks associated with Zyprexa and other antipsychotic medications include:

• A life-threatening nervous system problem called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). NMS can cause a high fever, stiff muscles, sweating, a fast or irregular heart beat, change in blood pressure, and confusion. NMS is considered a medical emergency.

• A movement problem called tardive dyskinesia.

•  High blood sugar and diabetes.

• Strokes have happened in older patients treated for mental illness from dementia. Zyprexa is not approved for this use.

Zyprexa also has several serious side effects, including low blood pressure, fainting, increased heart beat, seizures, liver problems, increased body temperature and diffic