[Anxiety disorder as a potential for sudden death].
A close association between anxiety disorder and sudden death is known. If any underlying heart disease exists, it is easy to discuss this association. If it does not, it is difficult to explain anxiety disorder as a cause of sudden death. In case of acute anxiety, many complicated physiologic events, which have capacity of contributing to sudden death, occur. On the other hand, accelerated atherosclerosis ensues in the case of chronic anxiety, and the latter increases vulnerability to sudden death through development of coronary events.
Vural
Mutlu
M
Kirşehir Devlet Hastanesi Kardiyoloji Bölümü, Kirşehir, Türkiye. heppikalp@yahoo.com
Başar
Emrullah
E
D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans