Bipolar Mood Disorder Connected to Risk of Premature Death from Natural Causes

Bipolar mood disorder seems to elevate the risk of premature death from medical ailments, according to a study in the Psychiatric Services journal.

The evidence indicates that sufferers of bipolar disorder have increased mortality rates from natural causes compared to those of the same age and gender with no mental illness. The research estimated the risk to be between 35%-200% higher.

The most frequent illnesses causing premature death in bipolar patients were cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses, stroke, and diabetes. Previously, the elevated incidence of premature death in people with bipolar disorder was attributed to the population's high rate of accidents and suicide.

"The review of data gathered from large population studies suggests that having bipolar disorder is similar to being a smoker in terms of increasing a person's risk of early death," explained Dr. Wayne Katon, a psychiatry professor at the University of Washington.