Optimal Treatment of Schizophrenia: Addressing Co-Occurring Medical Conditions

Despite growing awareness in the psychiatric community, statistics reveal a concerning trend: up to 60% of schizophrenia patients die prematurely from non-psychiatric medical conditions. This is partly due to the lack of understanding among physicians on how to properly treat common diseases and illnesses in this complex patient population.

As a response to this healthcare gap, Medical Illness and Schizophrenia, Second Edition, is the only clinical guide dedicated exclusively to the treatment of common medical comorbidities among patients with schizophrenia. This extensively revised edition brings together the expertise of 28 physicians and psychiatrists, including editors Jonathan M. Meyer, M.D., and Henry A. Nasrallah, M.D.

A Comprehensive Resource for Healthcare Professionals

This comprehensive manual covers a wide range of common medical problems, including:

• Metabolic and heart conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes
• Substance abuse and smoking

Each chapter concludes with “Key Clinical Points” that summarize important concepts and ensure reader retention.

New Chapters Addressing Complex Clinical Issues

The second edition includes new chapters that delve into some of the most complex clinical issues in the field of schizophrenia treatment today, including:

• Recent trends in the integration of medical and mental healthcare
• Behavioral treatments for weight loss in persons with schizophrenia
• Treatment of sexual dysfunction among persons treated for schizophrenia
• Health outcomes of schizophrenia treatment in children and adolescents
• Health outcomes of schizophrenia treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Medical Illness and Schizophrenia, Second Edition, is an invaluable resource for psychiatrists, nurses, healthcare professionals, and psychiatric and clinical residents. The goal of this text is to promote a broader approach to treatment, recognizing schizophrenia as both a brain disorder and a systemic disease with multiple manifestations that go beyond the obvious psychiatric symptoms.

This practical manual serves as a reference for the medical management of seriously mentally ill patients across the age spectrum in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Published by American Psychiatric Publishing on April 27, 2009, this second edition is an essential tool for healthcare professionals seeking to provide optimal care for patients with schizophrenia.

ISBN: 9781585623464, 9781585628964