Causes of Increased Mortality in Schizophrenia The mortality rate is elevated in patients with schizophrenia. The following are the common natural and unnatural causes of increased mortality in patients with schizophrenia.  Unnatural Causes  Approximately 60% of the increased mortality is because of unnatural causes, especially suicide and accidents. Natural Causes  Nearly 40% of the increased risk is because of natural causes, such as: Cardiovascular disease Smoking Sedentary lifestyle Obesity Medication side effects

Causes of Poor Response to Treatment in Patients with Schizophrenia There can be several reasons for poor response to treatment in schizophrenia and may be related to illness, patient and their environment, treatment or clinician. Patients started on treatment at a relatively later stage in the course of their illness and/or patients having slow onset schizophrenia respond poorly to treatment. Likewise, disorganised/hebephrenic schizophrenia carries a poor prognosis. Poor compliance, subtherapeutic doses and (sometimes) plasma concentrations may also be reasons for inadequate response, just as comorbid substance or alcohol abuse is. Patients who use medications periodically, upon worsening, become less likely to respond to treatment.  Related to the Illness Slow onset schizophrenia  Hebephrenic subtype Predominantly negative symptoms Related to the Patients and their Environment Comorbid substance/alcohol use Poor compliance with treatment High-expressed emotions ...

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Most Common Malignancy  in Down's Syndrome The most common Malignancy in Downs Syndrome is Leukemia. Please read the topic on Down's Syndrome in the Shorter Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry, 7th Edition.