[Does long-term hospitalization modify cardiovascular morbidity in schizophrenic patients?]

Cardiovascular risk factors, electrocardiographic findings and preexisting diseases of the cardiovascular system were recorded in 90 schizophrenic patients (mean age 62.6 yrs., mean duration of hospitalisation 28.6 yrs.). The obtained data were compared with a group of depressive inpatients matched for age and sex and with corresponding data of the german population. Although among the schizophrenic patients heavy cigarette-smoking was significantly more frequent, hints for a myocardial infarction in history were found in only 3 of these patients and, in contrast, in 7 depressive patients. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure did not differ among depressive and schizophrenic subjects with mean levels in both groups being lower than in the corresponding age of the general population. Total cholesterol levels were lowest in the schizophrenics; in the depressive patients, however, lower than in the general population. There was a continual increase of cholesterol with progressive age in depressive subjects and in the general population. An adverse tendency was found in the long-term-hospitalized schizophrenics of both genders. In male schizophrenics a significant negative correlation between the duration of hospitalisation and both serum cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure could be observed. This may explain cardiovascular mortality rates in these patients which are not elevated in spite of heavy smoking and lack of movement.