Everybody has experienced stress at some point of their life. Stress is one of the most common mental health disorders, which may occur due to the pressure from the surrounding environment. Besides stress, anxiety and depression are also categorised as mental health disorders.

Have you ever heard of schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is an acute mental illness where the sufferer will usually experience hallucinations, delusions, and other cognitive disorders. There are several factors that can cause a person to suffer from schizophrenia, such as heredity, the environment, using illegal drugs and the imbalance of chemical compounds (dopamine and serotonin) in the brain. To relieve symptoms, people with schizophrenia can undergo treatments such as counseling or taking drugs. Risperidone, olanzapine, and ziprasidone are the medicines commonly prescribed for schizophrenics.

In a recent study conducted by University College London, there were 3 types of drugs commonly prescribed for people with heart disease and diabetes that can help treat schizophrenia. In the study, which was published in JAMA Psychiatry, it was explained that statin, L-type calcium channel antagonists (LTCC) and biguanide can help treat schizophrenia. Statins and LTCC are drugs that are often prescribed for people with cholesterol and high blood pressure, while biguanide is a medicine commonly used to treat type 2 diabetics, like metformin. The use of these three types of drugs is known to reduce the risk of schizophrenia. In addition, these drugs can also reduce the risk of schizophrenics to injure themselves.

These results were obtained after the researchers carried out an analysis of 142,691 people who suffered from mental health disorders and consumed all three types of drug in one period. During this period, the factor that the researchers considered including how often the participants harmed themselves and how often they entered the hospital. These results are compared with the results obtained when they did not use these drugs.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay

Source(s):

• Hayes, JF., Lundin, A., Wick, S., et all (2019). Association of Hidroxylmethyl Glutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Inhibitors, L-Type Calcium Channel Antagonists, and Biguanides With Rates of Psychiatric Hospitalization and Self-Harm in Individuals With Serious Mental Illnes. JAMA Psychiatry, DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.3907.