Causes of Death in an Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Unit of a Portuguese General Hospital

Authors

  • Sofia Barbosa Department of Psychiatry. Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca. Amadora. Portugal.
  • Márcia Sequeira Department of Psychiatry. Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca. Amadora. Portugal.
  • Sara Castro Department of Psychiatry. Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca. Amadora. Portugal.
  • Rita Manso Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences. Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca. Amadora. Portugal.
  • Catarina Klut Câmara Department of Psychiatry. Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca. Amadora. Portugal.
  • Bruno Trancas Department of Psychiatry. Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca. Amadora. Portugal. Department of Mental Health. NOVA Medical School. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.
  • Nuno Borja-Santos Department of Psychiatry. Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca. Amadora. Portugal.
  • Teresa Maia Department of Psychiatry. Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca. Amadora. Portugal.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.6905

Keywords:

Cause of Death, Hospital Mortality, Mental Disorders/mortality, Portugal, Psychiatric Department, Hospital.

Abstract

Introduction: Psychiatric patients are at increased risk of death from a number of natural and unnatural causes. This study examines the mortality causes of all psychiatric inpatients of an acute psychiatric unit at a general hospital in Portugal for sixteen years (1998 to 2013).
Material and Methods: Twenty-one inpatients died at the inpatient unit between 1998 and 2013 (average 1.3 per year). A retrospective study through case-file review was carried to collect demographic characteristics, medical and psychiatry diagnosis. Patients transferred to other wards during their admission were not included.
Results: Circulatory system diseases were the most prevalent causes of death, occurring in 2/3 of patients and include pulmonary embolism (n = 6), acute stroke (n = 3), cardiac arrhythmia (n = 2), acute myocardial infarction (n = 1), abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture (n = 1) and heart failure (n = 1). Two patients died with pneumonia and in four cases the cause of death was undetermined. Only one case of suicide was registered.
Discussion: Circulatory conditions were the most frequent causes of death in our inpatient unit. Albeit a relatively rare event, inpatient suicide does occur and, in addition to its complex consequences on staff, family and patients should remain a focus for continued prevention.
Conclusion: Mortality studies are important for determining quality of health care and to create recommendations for preventive measures.

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Published

2016-08-31

How to Cite

1.
Barbosa S, Sequeira M, Castro S, Manso R, Câmara CK, Trancas B, Borja-Santos N, Maia T. Causes of Death in an Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Unit of a Portuguese General Hospital. Acta Med Port [Internet]. 2016 Aug. 31 [cited 2024 Nov. 23];29(7-8):468-75. Available from: https://actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/view/6905