Increasing numbers of reports concerning lipid dysregulation, diabetes and hyperglycaemia in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics have raised concerns about a possible association between these metabolic effects and treatment with these medications.

The available literature notes that ziprasidone is a weight-neutral antipsychotic and that lipids anomalies improve when patient are switched from other atypical antipsychotics to ziprasidone.

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of treatment with ziprasidone and changes in serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, serum levels of glucose and BMI changes.

Prospective, cohort, multicenter, open design in 373 in- and outpatients treated with ziprasidone for broad spectrum of psychotic disorders in flexible dose manner. The analysis was done in group of patients with no previous antipsychotic treatment or discontinuation of antipsychotic treatment longer than 3 months compared to group of patients directly switched from another antipsychotic treatment to ziprasidone.

Changes in fasting serum levels of total cholesterol were significant from baseline at week 24 in subgroup of patients directly switched from another antipsychotic treatment to ziprasidone (5,12 vs 4,94 mmol/l, p< 0,05, ANOVA).

We have observed statistical significant difference in fasting serum levels of total cholesterol in patients directly switched from another antipsychotic treatment to ziprasidone.