Medical Complications of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa
July 2006
in “
Current Opinion in Psychiatry
”
TLDR Anorexia and bulimia lead to serious health problems and increased risk of death, requiring aggressive treatment.
The document from 2006 reviews the medical complications of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, detailing how these disorders can lead to serious health issues across multiple organ systems and increase mortality risk. It references several studies, including one on alendronate treatment in anorexia nervosa patients that showed bone density improvements, and another involving 23 women that found lower leptin levels in those with anorexia nervosa. It also notes a study of 50 individuals where 60% developed hypomagnesemia during hospitalization. Other research mentioned includes the alteration of laboratory parameters due to dehydration, the increase in resting energy expenditure during refeeding, and the severe consequence of blindness due to vitamin A deficiency. The document concludes that these eating disorders are associated with significant medical complications and mortality, underscoring the need for aggressive treatment.
