Psychiatric Disorders And Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is associated with a variety of co-occurring conditions, including a number of psychiatric disorders. For example, depression leads to poorer diabetes outcomes; alterations in serum glucose levels can lead to acute mental status changes, including delirium, acute psychosis and frank coma; diabetes is a known risk-factor for the development of cognitive impairment generally, and Alzheimer's disease specifically. In addition, atypical antipsychotic medication use increases adiposity which leads to predictable increases in insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemias and cardiovascular disease. Antipsychotics may also alter glucose metabolism independent of these changes. As a result, mental health professionals working in a variety of settings will increasingly encounter patients who have co-occurring psychiatric disorders and diabetes mellitus.