Medical Risk in Patients With Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia

Patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder arevulnerable to developing key modifiable risk factors for cardiovasculardisease, such as obesity, smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2diabetes mellitus. In addition, mood stabilizers, anticonvulsants, andantipsychotic medications, which are commonly used to treat schizophrenia andbipolar disorder, have been linked to risk for adverse metabolic changes inpatients. This review reports the prevalence of medical risk factors in thegeneral population as well as in those patients with schizophrenia or bipolardisorder and discusses treatment strategies and lifestyle changes that patientscan make in order to reduce their risks for certain diseases.