Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder requiring constant vigilance and lifelong intervention with psycho therapeutic counseling and administration of Antipsychotic drugs. Metabolic aberrations are documented to occur more frequently in subjects with Schizophrenia (SCH) prior to treatment and the prevalence of these metabolic alterations is significantly raised following administration of Antipsychotic drugs especially the newer ones. Adiposity in SCH prior to drug therapy is significantly increased in comparison to age matched healthy subjects (N) as documented by several indices. Body Mass Index, kg/m2 (26.7 for SCH vs. 22.8 for N, p<0.003); Waist/Hip Ratio (0.99 for SCH vs. 0.86 for N, p<0.005); Total Body Fat, mm2 (34681 in SCH vs. 27692 in N, p<0.01) and Intra abdominal fat, mm2 (13232 in SCH vs. 3880 in N, p<0.005). Squealed of obesity involve almost every organ and system in the body and contribute to increase both morbidity and mortality in SCH. Thus, the prevalence of other disorders constituting metabolic syndrome e.g. Hypertension, Pre Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes and Dyslipidemia rise markedly and presence of these disorders more than double the relative risks of mortality in SCH in comparison to general population. The mortality risk is likely to be increased further with recent documentation of rising prevalence of cancer amongst subjects with obesity and diabetes.

Metabolic Challenges in Schizophrenia

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