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Mental Illness Raises Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease Allentown

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, around 1 in 4 adults in the US experience some form of mental illness in any given year. Approximately 1 in 17 adults live with a severe mental illness, such as major depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Past studies have associated mental health disorders with increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Last year, for example, Medical News Today reported on a study linking bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, neurotic disorders and other mental illnesses to a higher risk of coronary heart disease.

For this latest study, the research team - led by Dr. Katie Goldie, a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada - set out to gain a better understanding of the link between mental illness and cardiovascular risk.

They analyzed data from the Canadian Community Health Survey, involving patients with schizophrenia, bipolar, major depression and anxiety disorders. MNT were unable to identify how many people were included in the study at the time of publication.

The researchers assessed patients' use of medication for their mental health disorders. The drugs used included antipsychotic medications, antidepressants, psychoactive medication (benzodiazepine) and mood-stabilizing drugs. They also looked at the incidence of cardiovascular events among participants.

They found that patients who had a mental illness at any point in their life were twice as likely to have had a stroke or experienced heart disease than the general population, while patients who had not experienced heart disease or stroke had a higher long-term risk of cardiovascular disease.

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Baseline Medical features a 10 minute non-invasive vascular ultrasound exam of the carotid arteries in the neck to learn about individual's risk for heart disease and stroke. Serious disease can be diagnosed and treated before it is a life-changing health issue.

Just as your physician would recommend a cancer screening with a colonoscopy or mammogram is why Baseline Medical supports physicians who agree that screenings for heart disease and stroke are just as important. The screening results identify the problem and send the warning in time.

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