People with long term mental illness have shorter lifespans because of the side effects of the psychoactive drugs they are prescribed, a doctors’ conference was told today.
Dublin psychiatrist Dr Siobhán Barry said while suicide also contributes to premature deaths,these patients are also suffering heart and metabolic complications linked to the psychoactive drugs.
However, she said there is a huge shortage of monitoring of theses complications when patients are attending outpatient clinics for their psychiatric illness. (Independent.ie)
