Sudden Death in Psychiatric Disorders

105 Abstract: Psychiatric patients are at greater risk of sudden death, with a 3–5 fold increase compared with the nonpsychiatric population. Sudden death may arise from complications of the mental illnesses or as a result of psychotropic medication. Anorexia nervosa, drug use, alcohol misuse are the mental disorders most likely associated with sudden death. A variety of psychotropic drugs, particularly antipsychotic agents and tricyclic antidepressants are associated with sudden death. Inducing cardiac arrhythmias are one of the most likely mechanisms of sudden death because of electric membrane alterations induced by psychotropic drugs, resulting in electrocardiogram changes. Psychotropic medication is not necessarily causative for excess mortality in psychiatric patients as higher doses might be linked with mortality through a contradictory factor such as worse physical condition in people with more serious mental health problems. Compared with non-suicide mortality, the number of deaths that might be attributable to medication is small, but according to most researchers, iatrogenic mortality must be taken seriously, with appropriate steps taken towards prevention.