BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY (2006) - THE DANGERS OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATIONS - "Schizophrenia, neuroleptic medication and mortality."

BRITISH JOURNAL OF P SYCHIATRY(2 0 0 6)  1 8 8 ,p 1 2 2  to p 1 2 7.
Schizophrenia, neuroleptic medication
and mortality

MATTI JOUKAMAA, MARKKU HELIOVAARA, PAUL KNEKT,
HELIO« VAARA, ARPO AROMAA, RAIMO RAITASALO and VILLE LEHTINEN

Background

There is an excess of
death from natural causes among people
with schizophrenia.
 
Aims 

Schizophrenia and its treatment
with neuroleptics were studied for their
prediction of mortality in a representative
population sample of 7217 Finns aged 5 to 30
years.
 
Method  

A comprehensive health
examination was carried out at baseline.
Schizophrenia was determined using the
Present State Examination and previous
medical records.
 
Results 

During  a17-year follow-up, 39
of the 99 people with schizophrenia died.
Adjusted for age and gender, the relative
mortality risk between those with schizophrenia
and others was 2.84 (95% CI
2.06^3.90),andwas2.25(95%CI1.61^3.15)
after further adjusting for somatic
diseases,bloodpressure,cholesterol,body
massindex, smoking, exercise, alcohol
intakeandeducation.The number of neuroleptics
used at the time of the baseline
survey showed a graded relation to
mortality.Adjusted for age, gender,
somatic diseases and other potential risk
factors for premature death, the relative
riskwas 2.50 (95% CI1.46^4.30) per
incrementofone neuroleptic.
 
Conclusions 
There is an urgent need to
ascertain whether the high mortality in
schizophrenia is attributable to the disorder
itself or the antipsychotic medication.