Metabolic syndrome in schizophrenia: Recognizing and prevention

Schizophrenia is a chronic progressive disease of complex etiology, and because of its long duration and nature of symptoms it carries the risk of developing various physical ailments. Metabolic disorder known as metabolic syndrome or syndrome X (as a constellation of visceral obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia and glucose intolerance), female gender, ethnicity, older age, duration of illness, smoking, and taking antipsychotic therapy are risk factors for development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus type 2 and early mortality in schizophrenic patients. The use of antipsychotics in schizophrenic patients, especially the new generation of antipsychotics, significantly increases the incidence of metabolic syndrome. Previous studies have undoubtedly established a relationship between some of the new antipsychotic drugs and an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Based on these facts, we conducted a one-year study with the aim of screening schizophrenic patients with the criteria for metabolic syndrome and hospitalized because of the acute phase of the disease at Clinical Department of Psychiatry, Zagreb University Hospital Center in Zagreb and at Dr Ivan Barbot Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Popovača. Analysis of study results revealed that obesity was significantly associated with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome tended to be higher in patients with five or more years of disease duration. In conclusion, we emphasize that obesity is the underlying factor in the development of metabolic syndrome, and in accordance with these findings we consider it appropriate to introduce routine monitoring for metabolic syndrome in order to prevent physical complications and engage patients in care of their personal appearance, social and physical health, thus improving their quality of life.