Contributor: Don Stader, MD

Educational Pearls:

• Olanzapine (Zyprexa) is an atypical antipsychotic that can be used in a similar fashion to haloperidol for pain and nausea, including that with abdominal pain and headaches
• Olanzapine can be administered as an oral disolving tablets, intramuscular or intravenous injection
• Because Zyprexa is an atypical antipsychotic, it has a lower risk for tardive dyskinesia and akathisia
• Olanzapine may cause transient rises in glucose and should be considered when contemplating use in a diabetic

References

Olanzapine for the prevention and treatment of cancer-related nausea and vomiting in adults.Sutherland A, Naessens K, Plugge E, Ware L, Head K, Burton MJ, Wee B. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;9:CD012555. Epub 2018 Sep 21.

Silberstein, S.D., Peres, M.F., Hopkins, M.M., Shechter, A.L., Young, W.B. and Rozen, T.D. (2002), Olanzapine in the Treatment of Refractory Migraine and Chronic Daily Headache. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 42: 515-518. doi:10.1046/j.1526-4610.2002.02126.

Summarized by Will Dewispelaere, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD