Ischemic heart disease and epilepsy: two major causes of out-hospital natural death in male alcoholics

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study the distribution of in- and out-hospital deaths and causes of death in male alcoholics and in particular to analyze obscure cases. In a population-based sample of 1123 men treated in one detoxification unit during 1986–1989, 97 patients with alcohol dependence (DSM-III-R) died ≤ 1 year after in-hospital detoxification. In each case, the cause and the manner of death were assessed by scrutiny of information in hospital and autopsy records, toxicological examinations, and police reports. The results were that 71 of the 97 men died outside hospital. The overall autopsy rate was 89%. Ischemic heart disease accounted for 18 out of 41 evaluable natural out-hospital deaths. Epileptic seizures were judged to be the cause of death in five cases and could also have contributed to seven out of eight obscure out-hospital deaths. Ethanol in blood or urine was detected in 19 of the 23 deaths attributed to trauma or intoxication, whereas only four out of the 18 out-hospital deaths from ischemic heart disease were ethanol-positive. It was concluded that early detection and adequate treatment of ischemic heart disease and epilepsy might improve prognosis in patients with alcohol dependence. The use of clinical information could be of crucial importance in evaluating possible causes of death, especially in obscure cases.