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Psychosocial Aspects of Sudden Death: A Preliminary Report

Psychosocial Aspects of Sudden Death: A Preliminary Report Abstract Meaningful information was available on 26 patients who died suddenly in a 44,000 industrial population. The data, past illnesses, prodromal symptoms, and psychosocial information were obtained from the plant medical records, the private physicians, and mainly from direct interviews with the surviving next-of-kin, usually the wife. The data suggest that the majority of these patients, all men, had been depressed for a week up to several months. The sudden death then occurred in a setting of acute arousal engendered by increased work and activity or circumstances precipitating reactions of anxiety or anger. The findings suggest that the combination of depressive and arousal psychological states or abrupt transition from one such state to another may produce disharmonious responses in the hormonal and autonomic nervous systems, as well as central nervous system mediated behavior, which are conducive to the sudden death. References 1. Goldstein S, Moss AJ, Greene WA: Sudden death in acute myocardial infarction: Relationship to factors affecting delay in hospitalization. Arch Intern Med 129:720-724, 1972.Crossref 2. Greene WA, Moss AJ: Psychosocial factors in the adjustment of patients with permanently implanted cardiac pacemakers. Ann Intern Med 70:897-902,1969.Crossref 3. Greene WA, Conron G, Schalch DS, et al: Psychologic correlates of growth hormone and adrenal secretory responses of patients undergoing cardiac cathetenzation. Psychosom Med 32;599-614, 1970.Crossref 4. Greene WA, Sweeney DR, Schreiner BF: Psychological and hormonal characteristics and outcome of patients considered for cardiac surgery, abstracted. Psychosom Med 33:475, 1971. 5. Engel GL: Mechanisms of fainting. J Mt Sinai Hosp 12:170-190, 1945. 6. Engel GL: Fainting—Physiological and Psychological Considerations . Springfield, Ill, Charles C Thomas Publisher, 1950. 7. Engel GL: Sudden death and the "medical model" in psychiatry. Canad Psychiat Assoc J 15:527-537, 1970. 8. Engel GL: Sudden and rapid death during psychological stress—folklore or folk wisdom? Ann Intern Med 74:771-782, 1971.Crossref 9. Moss AJ, Goldstein S, Greene WA, Decamilla J: Prehospital precursors of ventricular arrhythmias in acute myocardial infarction. Arch Intern Med 129:756-762, 1972.Crossref 10. Kuller L, Lilienfeld A, Fisher R: An epidemiological study of sudden and unexpected deaths in adults. Medicine 46:341-361, 1967.Crossref 11. Fulton M, Julian DG, Oliver MF: Sudden death and myocardial infarction. Circulation 39( (suppl) ):IV-182-IV-193, 1969. 12. Chiang BN, Perlman LV, Fulton M, et al: Predisposing factors in sudden cardiac death in Tecumseh, Michigan: A prospective study. Circulation 41:31-38, 1970.Crossref 13. Sales SM, House J: Job dissatisfaction as a possible risk factor in coronary heart disease. J Chron Dis 23:861-873, 1971.Crossref 14. Greene WA, Young LE, Swisher SN: Psychological factors and reticuloendothelial disease: II. Observations on a group of women with lymphomas and leukemias. Psychosom Med 18:284-303, 1956.Crossref 15. Hilgard JR: Anniversary reaction in parents precipitated by children. Psychiatry 16:73-80, 1953. 16. Weiss E, Dlin B, Rollin HR, et al: Emotional factors in coronary occulsion: I. Introduction and general summary. Arch Intern Med 99:628-641, 1957.Crossref 17. Fischer HK, Dlin BM: Man's determination of his time of illness or death: Anniversary reactions and emotional deadlines. Geriatrics 25:89-94, 1971. 18. Earls JH, Wolf S: A report of multiple periodic anniversary reactions in one individual. Ann Intern Med 58:530-533, 1963.Crossref 19. Hinkle LE, Caver ST, Plakun A: Slow heart rates and increased risk of cardiac death in middle-aged men. Arch Intern Med 129:732-748, 1972.Crossref 20. Hackett TP, Cassem NH: Factors contributing to delay in responding to the signs and symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. Amer J Cardiol 24:651-658, 1969.Crossref http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Archives of Internal Medicine American Medical Association

Psychosocial Aspects of Sudden Death: A Preliminary Report

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References (22)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1972 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0003-9926
eISSN
1538-3679
DOI
10.1001/archinte.1972.00320050049005
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract Meaningful information was available on 26 patients who died suddenly in a 44,000 industrial population. The data, past illnesses, prodromal symptoms, and psychosocial information were obtained from the plant medical records, the private physicians, and mainly from direct interviews with the surviving next-of-kin, usually the wife. The data suggest that the majority of these patients, all men, had been depressed for a week up to several months. The sudden death then occurred in a setting of acute arousal engendered by increased work and activity or circumstances precipitating reactions of anxiety or anger. The findings suggest that the combination of depressive and arousal psychological states or abrupt transition from one such state to another may produce disharmonious responses in the hormonal and autonomic nervous systems, as well as central nervous system mediated behavior, which are conducive to the sudden death. References 1. Goldstein S, Moss AJ, Greene WA: Sudden death in acute myocardial infarction: Relationship to factors affecting delay in hospitalization. Arch Intern Med 129:720-724, 1972.Crossref 2. Greene WA, Moss AJ: Psychosocial factors in the adjustment of patients with permanently implanted cardiac pacemakers. Ann Intern Med 70:897-902,1969.Crossref 3. Greene WA, Conron G, Schalch DS, et al: Psychologic correlates of growth hormone and adrenal secretory responses of patients undergoing cardiac cathetenzation. Psychosom Med 32;599-614, 1970.Crossref 4. Greene WA, Sweeney DR, Schreiner BF: Psychological and hormonal characteristics and outcome of patients considered for cardiac surgery, abstracted. Psychosom Med 33:475, 1971. 5. Engel GL: Mechanisms of fainting. J Mt Sinai Hosp 12:170-190, 1945. 6. Engel GL: Fainting—Physiological and Psychological Considerations . Springfield, Ill, Charles C Thomas Publisher, 1950. 7. Engel GL: Sudden death and the "medical model" in psychiatry. Canad Psychiat Assoc J 15:527-537, 1970. 8. Engel GL: Sudden and rapid death during psychological stress—folklore or folk wisdom? Ann Intern Med 74:771-782, 1971.Crossref 9. Moss AJ, Goldstein S, Greene WA, Decamilla J: Prehospital precursors of ventricular arrhythmias in acute myocardial infarction. Arch Intern Med 129:756-762, 1972.Crossref 10. Kuller L, Lilienfeld A, Fisher R: An epidemiological study of sudden and unexpected deaths in adults. Medicine 46:341-361, 1967.Crossref 11. Fulton M, Julian DG, Oliver MF: Sudden death and myocardial infarction. Circulation 39( (suppl) ):IV-182-IV-193, 1969. 12. Chiang BN, Perlman LV, Fulton M, et al: Predisposing factors in sudden cardiac death in Tecumseh, Michigan: A prospective study. Circulation 41:31-38, 1970.Crossref 13. Sales SM, House J: Job dissatisfaction as a possible risk factor in coronary heart disease. J Chron Dis 23:861-873, 1971.Crossref 14. Greene WA, Young LE, Swisher SN: Psychological factors and reticuloendothelial disease: II. Observations on a group of women with lymphomas and leukemias. Psychosom Med 18:284-303, 1956.Crossref 15. Hilgard JR: Anniversary reaction in parents precipitated by children. Psychiatry 16:73-80, 1953. 16. Weiss E, Dlin B, Rollin HR, et al: Emotional factors in coronary occulsion: I. Introduction and general summary. Arch Intern Med 99:628-641, 1957.Crossref 17. Fischer HK, Dlin BM: Man's determination of his time of illness or death: Anniversary reactions and emotional deadlines. Geriatrics 25:89-94, 1971. 18. Earls JH, Wolf S: A report of multiple periodic anniversary reactions in one individual. Ann Intern Med 58:530-533, 1963.Crossref 19. Hinkle LE, Caver ST, Plakun A: Slow heart rates and increased risk of cardiac death in middle-aged men. Arch Intern Med 129:732-748, 1972.Crossref 20. Hackett TP, Cassem NH: Factors contributing to delay in responding to the signs and symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. Amer J Cardiol 24:651-658, 1969.Crossref

Journal

Archives of Internal MedicineAmerican Medical Association

Published: May 1, 1972

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