Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Psychiatrists Not Meeting Schizophrenia Patient Needs

It was reported last week at the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting held in Toronto that people with schizophrenia are at higher risk that their doctors will fail to provide treatment or prevention for many of the common problems that are linked to schizophrenia (diabetes, excess weight, smoking, etc.).

"This is one of the most important problems" clinicians face, said Dr. Roger McIntyre, an associate professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at the University of Toronto. He says recent studies have shown that people with schizophrenia die on average 15 to 20 years earlier than expected. And they are dying from medical problems such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke that could be addressed when doctors treat their mental illness.

Four doctors talked about the medical problems that beset people with schizophrenia at a briefing Tuesday at the American Psychiatric Association, held in Toronto. It has become clear that many of the antipsychotic medications used to treat schizophrenia cause weight gain and increase risk for diabetes. But McIntyre and the other doctors say many patients are already at increased risk for medical metabolic problems even before they start psychiatric drugs.

Dr. Henry Nasrallah, a professor of psychiatry, neurology and neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, said, "Well-established risk factors are occurring at high levels and not being monitored."

Many anti-psychotic medications cause weight gain and increase the risk of diabetes. Patients are also at extremely high risk for smoking and inactivity.

The briefings were an important reminder for psychiatrists and patients to pay attention to weight, lipid profiles and metabolic measures. People who have schizophrenia must be sure to get regular and complete health checkups with special emphasis on the areas cited previously.