At age 25 individuals with psychosis had a significantly higher mean BMI, waist circumference, triglycerides, glucose (women only) and diastolic blood pressure and significantly lower HDL-cholesterol than controls. These differences were present at all ages between 25 and 64. Systolic blood pressure did not differ between samples at any age and neither did glucose in men.
Individuals with psychosis aged 25-46+ had significantly lower (better) total and LDL cholesterol levels than controls. There was a significantly stronger association between glucose and triglycerides and a significantly weaker association among lipids, between weight and lipids, between glucose and waist circumference and between glucose and blood pressure in those with psychosis compared with controls.
Individuals with psychosis have a distinctive pattern of cardiovascular risk compared with the general population from at least age 25. This may reflect antipsychotic drug effects that partly disaggregate weight, lipids, glucose and blood pressure, other factors that distinguish the lives of those with psychosis, or other as yet unidentified factors related to the etiology of psychosis.