Compared with the general population, patients with serious mental illness (SMI), ie, schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorders, have higher levels of morbidity, poorer health outcomes, and higher mortality rates.1 In particular, life expectancy is reduced up to 25 years.2 The causes of this premature mortality have been extensively analyzed, and the vast majority is due to the higher incidence of physical health problems, such as cancer as well as cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, and infectious diseases.3,4 The higher mortality rates are due to different factors, which are summarized in the Table .
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