Schizophrenics Face Much Higher Early Death Risk
Lifestyle habits such as smoking greatly up the odds for heart disease, cancer and COPD, study finds
Two experts in the care of people with schizophrenia said the findings weren't surprising, and are another sign that more must be done to protect the physical health of patients.
These individuals need "wide-reaching programs to intervene early in preventing obesity and smoking, and to promote healthy lifestyle choices," said Katherine Burdick, a professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
She believes that people with schizophrenia face "unique challenges" to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and doctors must "do whatever is necessary to help patients optimize cardiovascular health through regular exercise, proper diet and the avoidance of substances including tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs."
Dr. William Dubin is chair of psychiatry at Temple University's School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He said that strengthening links between a patient's psychiatrist and his or her primary care physician is key to keeping both the body and the mind healthy.
"In the future, psychiatric programs should have medical practitioners embedded [within them]," Dubin said. Also, some psychiatric drugs can promote weight gain and other metabolic issues, and psychiatrists "need better awareness" of that, he said.
The study was published online Oct. 28 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
Schizophrenics Face Much Higher Early Death Risk
Lifestyle habits such as smoking greatly up the odds for heart disease, cancer and COPD, study finds
Two experts in the care of people with schizophrenia said the findings weren't surprising, and are another sign that more must be done to protect the physical health of patients.
These individuals need "wide-reaching programs to intervene early in preventing obesity and smoking, and to promote healthy lifestyle choices," said Katherine Burdick, a professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
She believes that people with schizophrenia face "unique challenges" to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and doctors must "do whatever is necessary to help patients optimize cardiovascular health through regular exercise, proper diet and the avoidance of substances including tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs."
Dr. William Dubin is chair of psychiatry at Temple University's School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He said that strengthening links between a patient's psychiatrist and his or her primary care physician is key to keeping both the body and the mind healthy.
"In the future, psychiatric programs should have medical practitioners embedded [within them]," Dubin said. Also, some psychiatric drugs can promote weight gain and other metabolic issues, and psychiatrists "need better awareness" of that, he said.
The study was published online Oct. 28 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
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