I think it makes sense that antipsychotic medications can cause certain problems, and there is, of course, evidence that the use of these medications does sometimes seem to lead to some undesirable health outcomes. However, as far as the risk of death in patients with schizophrenia is concerned (particularly in those between the ages of 17 and 65, which is the age range of the participants who were looked at for the study that I've been writing about here), "low exposure" and "moderate exposure" to antipsychotic medications was actually associated with a significantly reduced risk of death -- and not an increased risk of death -- based on the findings of this study.
I'm not sure about the extent to which the findings of this study might be able to be generalized to other patient populations. I know that antipsychotic medications tend to increase the risk of death in elderly patients with dementia, so the findings of the study that I've been writing about here clearly wouldn't seem to apply to this group of individuals. The findings of the study also might not apply to other patient groups, such as those with mood disorders, but at the same time, it's also possible that a study that would look at the relationship between medication use and risk of death in patients with mood disorders might produce similar findings. Finally, I think it's possible that antipsychotic medications could produce effects in certain individuals with schizophrenia that might increase their risk of death, but statistically speaking, based on the findings of the study that I've been writing about, "low exposure" and "moderate exposure" to antipsychotics tends to be associated with a significantly reduced risk of death in patients with schizophrenia, when looked at in comparison to no exposure to these kinds of medications.
Tom
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this signature | Show by default | Change to hide (next time)"Maybe someday
We'll figure all this out
We'll put an end to all our doubt
Try to find a way to just feel better now"
- Rob Thomas