Physical Health of Residents in Psychiatric Institutions

Background:

The prevalence of physical health problems among patients suffering from psychiatric illnesses is above that seen in the average population (1). Cardiovascular diseases (2) and metabolic disorders (3;4) are common in persons diagnosed with schizophrenia (5;6). A fact that has been known for many years (7), and there has been no decrease in the prevalence of physical illness in connection with the decentralization of the psychiatric treatment which has taken place in the Western world during the last 30-40 years (8).

Meta-analyses describe increased physical morbidity among patients with psychiatric diseases and increased mortality on account of somatic diseases (7). One of the reasons for the increased mortality could be the use of second generation antipsychotics that in some cases cause weight gain and metabolic syndrome which is associated with a two to threefold increase in cardiovascular mortality and a twofold increase in all-cause mortality (3;9). These effects would be expected to contribute to even higher mortality in the following years (10).

The use of more than one antipsychotic drug, polypharmacy, might also play a role (11;12). Psychiatric societies, national and international health authorities advise against the use of polypharmacy (13).

The quality of the general health care in patients with severe mental illness and the consensus about the prevention of somatic illness in this group of vulnerable patients need to be improved and there is evidence signifying the importance of the situation (14;15).