[The issue of mortality in schizophrenia]

First and second generation antipsychotic drugs have led to major therapeutic advances in the field of schizophrenia. Since the 50ties, they have enable schizophrenic patients to be treated as out-patients, contributing to the birth of a modern psychiatry. However, several therapeutic targets have not yet been reached. This paper will focus on mortality of schizophrenic patients, mortality due to suicide or mortality due to somatic conditions. In the future, therapeutic research in the field of psychotropic drugs should focus not only on improving efficacy on psychic targets and a better profile of tolerance, but also on improvement of mortality of schizophrenic patients treated with antipsychotics, which should decrease.