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Introduction
➤ The lifetime prevalence of schizophrenia is estimated to be
approximately 0.7%. Worldwide, schizophrenia is one of the top
20 causes of disability.
➤ Schizophrenia is also associated with increased mortality, with a
shortened lifespan and standardized mortality ratios that are reported
to be twofold to fourfold those in the general population. Individuals
often have physical health comorbidities such as cardiovascular,
respiratory, and infectious diseases and malignancies, particularly lung
cancer.
➤ About 4%–10% of persons with schizophrenia die by suicide, with
rates that are highest among males in the early course of the disorder.
Additional causes of death also include other unnatural events such as
accidents and traumatic injuries.
➤ Harms from therapeutic interventions may include:
• adverse events that range from serious to less serious but affect tolerability
to minor
• negative effects of the intervention on quality of life
• barriers and inconveniences associated with treatment
• other negative aspects of treatment that may influence decision-making
by the patient, the clinician or both.
➤ The guideline statements should be implemented in the context of
a person-centered treatment plan that includes evidence-based
nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatments for schizophrenia.
➤ See full text guideline for additional information.
