Medical disorders in the schizophrenic patient.
OBJECTIVE
The primary purpose of this review of medical disorders in the schizophrenic patient is to provide the clinician interested in Consultation/Liaison psychiatry and psychosomatic issues a comprehensive and current review of the subject.


METHODS
The authors used the Index Medicus and Medline to find recent review articles and research articles related to medical disorders in the schizophrenic patient. Also, the authors described their clinical experience in Consultation/Liaison psychiatry working with schizophrenic patients in a large, tertiary-care academic medical center.


RESULTS
The authors divided their review into: 1) mortality and morbidity in schizophrenia, 2) differential diagnosis, 3) specific comorbidity management problems, 4) caring for schizophrenics on medical/surgical wards, and 5) antipsychotic drugs in the medical setting. Schizophrenia remains an important subject for Consultation/Liaison psychiatrists.


CONCLUSIONS
Schizophrenia and its protean manifestations confound the care of the medical patient. The psychosis of schizophrenia may impair the patient's capacity to recognize or articulate emerging medical illness, or to respond to therapeutic interventions. The psychiatrist caring for and consulting on patients with medical illnesses bears major responsibility for understanding the complex interface of schizophrenia and medical illnesses. Psychiatrists need to educate our medical and surgical colleagues how schizophrenia alters the usual presentation, clinical course, and response to treatment of common medical and surgical illnesses.
Vieweg
V
V
Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA.
Levenson
J
J
Pandurangi
A
A
Silverman
J
J
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012803:Sick Role; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents