A case-control study of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular risk among patients with schizophrenia in a country in the low cardiovascular risk region of Europe.

Abstract

In schizophrenia patients, a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and of neglected treatment was found. The great majority of cases and controls aged 40 years or more have low and comparable levels of absolute cardiovascular risk mortality. For those aged under 40 years, schizophrenia patients show higher relative cardiovascular risk than controls. These findings call for closer collaboration between psychiatrists and primary care providers. The finding of a lower prevalence of hypertension among cases seems to be associated with an apparent protective effect of benzodiazepines, which are frequently prescribed to patients with schizophrenia in Portugal.