Conference paper

TREATMENT STRATEGY IN SCHIZOPHRENIA COMBINED WITH EATING DISORDER

Elizabeta Dadić-Hero orcid.org/0000-0002-3119-5205 ; Department of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Rijeka, Croatia
Klementina Ružić orcid.org/0000-0002-4696-5102 ; University Psychiatric Clinic Rijeka, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Croatia
Tanja Grahovac orcid.org/0000-0002-8508-6688 ; University Psychiatric Clinic Rijeka, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Croatia
Toni Valković ; University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Internal Clinic, Rijeka, Croatia
Duška Petranović orcid.org/0000-0001-9225-956X ; University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Internal Clinic, Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

Like any other patient, a schizophrenic patient can get a physical illness, too. As such patients tend to ignore reality and neglect
themselves and are stigmatized by society, due to which their physical symptomatology is often ignored, physical illness can remain
undetected. If the schizophrenic patient is observed and adequate care is provided by the family, family doctor and a psychiatrist, it
is possible to recognize the physical illness and intervene promptly.
We are presenting a case of a female patient who has been treated for schizophrenia for a number of years. The treatment was
mostly ambulatory (i.e. the patient was hospitalized twice) and consisted of first-generation antipsychotics. During the past two
years, for reasons unknown, the patient stopped taking regular meals and as a result lost significant body weight, became apathetic
and withdrawn, started avoiding social contacts and neglected personal hygiene. She reportedly took the psychopharmaca regularly,
but rarely attended psychiatric follow-up consultations. Due to substantial weight loss and hypotonia, correction of antipsychotic
was made and internist treatment administered. The choice of olanzapine was not an accidental one. We decided to take advantage
of its side effect for the treatment of an anorectic syndrome. Interdisciplinary cooperation proved to be a justified decision.

Keywords

schizophrenia; eating disorder; olanzapine

Hrčak ID:

76539

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/76539

Publication date:

31.3.2011.

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