| A study in US veterans indicates that in New York, | | | | for the people with schizophrenia, depression and |
| mentally healthy individuals are less likely to die of heart | | | | bipolar disorder. People with other psychotic disorders |
| disease than People with schizophrenia and other | | | | are at 30 percent greater risk of dying from heart |
| psychotic disorders. Dr. Amy M. Kilbourne of the VA | | | | disease than people with schizophrenia who are 17 |
| Ann Arbor Health System in Michigan, the lead author | | | | percent at risk. |
| of the study, told Reuters Health that people with | | | | For individuals with depression or bipolar illness, |
| psychosis were more likely to smoke and be inactive. | | | | behavioral factors such as smoking and lack of |
| Mentally healthy individuals outlive People with serious | | | | physical activity also lead to excess risk. |
| mental illness by many decades. Kilbourne and her | | | | "Just having an unstable life, because of psychotic |
| team looked at nearly 150,000 vets who had | | | | symptoms really gets in the way of people living a full |
| completed a 1999 survey to understand the role of | | | | life," a researcher said. |
| heart disease in shortening the lifespan of mentally ill | | | | Kilbourne states, that it's important to offer people with |
| individuals. | | | | serious mental illness a "medical home," a place where |
| 8 percent participants of heart disease died with in 8 | | | | all their health care needs can be met. |
| years. Risk of dying from heart disease has increased | | | | |