ROLE OF GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDE-1 RECEPTOR AGONISTS IN MANAGING ANTIPSYCHOTIC INDUCED WEIGHT GAIN CAUSING NON-COMPLIANCE IN BIPOLAR DISORDER PATIENTS: A CASE SERIES

Bipolar disorder is one of the most common mental health disorders worldwide. Antipsychotics are highly used agents in the management of this mood disorder. One of the most common and distressing side effects of these medications is weight gain. Weight gain not only creates metabolic impairment but also causes many patients to discontinue antipsychotic treatment to avoid the side effect of weight gain, leading to relapses and hospitalisation. Every other exacerbation of the disease makes the next one more likely, which is why early interventions have a key role in disease management. Although GLP-1 agonists have been used to promote weight loss in patients with obesity and diabetes, their use as a preventive strategy in patients at high risk for non-compliance to antipsychotics due to weight gain has not been widely adopted in clinical practice. We present a case series of three adult female patients with bipolar disorder treated with antipsychotics who experienced relapses requiring hospitalisation due to non-with compliance due to antipsychotic-induced weight gain.