Most medications used to treat co-morbid conditions of eating disorders may cause which side effect?

• A. Hypotension
• B. Hypertension
• C. Insomnia or somnolence
• D. Excessive salivation

Answer: (C)

Medications used to treat co-morbid conditions of eating disorders are mostly psychotropic drugs that alter brain systems involved in mood and arousal. A very common effect across these meds is disruption of sleep: some antidepressants can cause insomnia by increasing wakefulness or arousal, while others and some antipsychotics can cause daytime sleepiness or somnolence due to their sedating properties. Because sleep-related side effects are frequently seen with these treatments, insomnia or somnolence stands out as the most likely adverse effect in this context. Changes in blood pressure or excessive saliva can occur with certain drugs, but they’re not as consistently associated with the broad range of medications used for these co-morbid conditions.