Psychiatric co-morbidity & diabetes

Diabetes mellitus as well as psychiatric disorders are common. These may occur with one another and/or one may worsen the other. Psychological stress may follow screening for diabetes, as well as when diabetes is first identified. Acting through the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, stress may initiate or worsen hyperglycaemia. Depression may be a risk factor for the development of diabetes; it also commonly occurs in subjects with diabetes. Identification and management are both important in preventing the disability. A variety of antipsychotic medications, especially the newer agents can induce weight gain, dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance and diabetes. Therefore in choosing a drug, one must consider the risk factors and screen for metabolic syndrome. Subjects with type 1 diabetes can have cognitive dysfunction, eating disorders and developmental disturbances. Physicians caring for people with diabetes must be trained to recognize and manage co-morbid psychiatric conditions that commonly occur. A biopsychosocial disease model for both conditions can leverage the social strengths and medical knowledge in developing countries.