Alcohol as a Cause of Sudden Unexpected Death

Laurie, W.

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1971.tb50306.x

Cited by 13 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…It is of interest to note that 10 of these cases had died suddenly, and unexpectedly. Sudden and unexpected death in alcoholics is a well-known entity, and the various causes include acute toxic effect with respiratory failure (Kaye and Haag, 1957;Derrick, 1967), alcoholic cardiomyopathy with arrhythmias (Laurie, 1971), and the ingestion of alcohol while taking psychotropic drugs causing a severe summation effect (Laurie, 1971). One of the patients in this series died as a result of an alcoholic cardiomyopathy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Wernicke's encephalopathy: a more common disease than realised. A neuropathological study of 51 cases.

Harper¹

1979

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry

280

101

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SUMMARY During a four year period, 51 cases of Wernicke's encephalopathy were diagnosed at necropsy, an incidence of 1.7% of all necropsies performed at the Royal Perth Hospital and by the Perth City coroner. Only seven had been diagnosed during life. Many of the patients died suddenly and unexpectedly, apparently as a result of haemorrhagic brainstem lesions, typical of acute Wernicke's encephalopathy, since no other cause of death was found. There was a high incidence of epilepsy and four patients were hypothermic. The diagnosis of Wernicke's encephalopathy may be missed at necropsy unless the brain is examined histologically. Cerebral atrophy and ventricular dilatation were common findings. This is a more common disease than is generally recognised, one which can be readily treated and, more importantly, prevented by adequate nutrition.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Wernicke's encephalopathy: a more common disease than realised. A neuropathological study of 51 cases.

Harper¹

1979

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry

280

101

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“…Yet barbiturates are still occasionally prescribed as nighttime sedatives. In an elderly patient who has decreased hepatic reserve, the potential for an accidental barbiturate overdose, especially when associated with drinking, is great 41–44 . The patient who needs prescribed barbiturates should be cautioned to avoid alcohol completely.…”

Section: Alcohol Drugs and Old Agementioning

confidence: 99%

Alcoholism in the Geriatric Population

Hartford

Samorajski

1982

J American Geriatrics Society

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Alcohol abuse by elderly persons may be overlooked by clinicians because the effects of alcoholism on intellectual processes may be attributed to advancing age. In older patients, in whom liver and other organ functions may be reduced, even modest social drinking will impair cognitive abilities. Alcoholism is especially detrimental to older persons because 1) their blood levels of ethanol are higher than those in younger persons, and brain neurons may be more sensitive to the drug; 2) ethanol can disturb their sleep and sexual performance; 3) their cognitive functions may be significantly impaired by ethanol; and 4) for elderly patients, who commonly take a variety of drugs, ethanol and drug interactions are particularly hazardous.

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“…Probably many cases go undetected during life and in them the mortality rate is likely to be even higher. Thus hypoglycemia may contribute to the cases of sudden unexpected death that occur in alcoholics (Laurie 1971) and for which no cause may be found at post mortem.…”

Section: Hypoglyca?miamentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrition: Effects of Alcohol

Wright

1977

Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine

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Alcohol as a Cause of Sudden Unexpected Death

Cited by 13 publications

References 15 publications

Wernicke's encephalopathy: a more common disease than realised. A neuropathological study of 51 cases.

Wernicke's encephalopathy: a more common disease than realised. A neuropathological study of 51 cases.

Alcoholism in the Geriatric Population

Nutrition: Effects of Alcohol

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