DOES LONG-TERM-HOSPITALIZATION INFLUENCE THE CARDIOVASCULAR MORBIDITYIN SCHIZOPHRENICS

Cardiovascular risk factors, electrocardiographic findings and preexis ting diseases of the cardiovascular system were recorded in 90 schizop hrenic patients (mean age 62.6 yrs., mean duration of hospitalisation 28.6 yrs.). The obtained data were compared with a group of depressive inpatients matched for age and sex and with corresponding data of the german population. Although among the schizophrenic patients heavy ci garette-smoking was significantly more frequent, hints for a myocardia l infarction in history were found in only 3 of these patients and, in contrast, in 7 depressive patients. Systolic and diastolic blood pres sure did not differ among depressive and schizophrenic subjects with m ean levels in both groups being lower than in the corresponding age of the general population. Total cholesterol levels were lowest in the s chizophrenics; in the depressive patients, however, lower than in the general population. There was a continual increase of cholesterol with progressive age in depressive subjects and in the general population. An adverse tendency was found in the long-term-hospitalized schizophr enics of both genders. In male schizophrenics a significant negative c orrelation between the duration of hospitalisation and both serum chol esterol and diastolic blood pressure could be observed. This may expla in cardiovascular mortality rates in these patients which are not elev ated in spite of heavy smoking and lack of movement.