Am J Psychiatry 1977; 134:1361-1366
Copyright © 1977 by American Psychiatric Association
Emotional causes of sudden death
JE Dimsdale
The author reviews concepts important to understanding the emotional causes
of sudden death, which occurs in the psychological setting of hopelessness,
powerlessness, and intense emotions. The cardiovascular system responds to
stress in a way that makes sudden death more likely. Studies pertinent to
the effect of stress on blood pressure and arrhythmia in animals and man
indicate that sudden death as a response to stress can occur only when
certain factors are present simultaneously. Collaboration between
psychiatrists and cardiologists is necessary for further progress in this
field.
