Study Finds Antipsychotics Associated with Pituitary Tumors

SILVER SPRING, Md. - FDA researchers are reporting in a recent study that atypical antipsychotics may be associated with the development of pituitary tumors in patients.

In "Atypical antipsychotics and pituitary tumors: a pharmacovigilance study," (Pharmacotherapy. 2006 Jun;26(6):748-58), researchers from the FDA's Office of Pharmacoepidemiology and Statistical Sciences in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research analyzed the risks of hyperprolactinemia, galactorrhea and pituitary tumors associated with seven antipsychotic drugs.

"Treatment with potent D2-receptor antagonists, such as risperidone, may be associated with pituitary tumors," the researchers concluded. "These findings are consistent with animal (mice) studies and raise the need …