Antipsychotics and anesthetic drugs

An increased mortality rate in the postoperative period for schizophrenic patients receiving chronic antipsychotic therapy has been demonstrated. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disease, schizophrenia-associated psychotic disorders are characterized by disturbances in emotional, behavioral and cognitive arenas, impeding on nearly every aspect of life functioning in the form of thought disorders, delusions and hallucinations.

Chronic schizophrenic patients lack pain sensitivity, and have pituitary-adrenal and autonomic nerve dysfunction, abnormalities of the immune system, and water intoxication. These alterations may influence postoperative outcome. Psychotropic drugs often given in combination with each other or with other non-psychiatric drugs generally exert profound effects on the central and peripheral neurotransmitter and ionic mechanisms.