title: [Fatal aspiration following polydipsia in schizophrenia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Polydipsia with hyponatraemia commonly occurs with chronic psychosis and is associated with a reduced life expectancy for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. We describe a 51 years old man who presented with polydipsia during a relapse of paranoid schizophrenia. While treated with Clozapine, and despite regular observation and daily control of creatinine and electrolytes, the man suddenly collapsed and died after drinking huge amounts of water. No sedation from psychotropic medication or drugs and alcohol was present in this case. Sodium levels on the day of death and the day before were within normal range. A post-mortem revealed aspiration of water and gastric content as the cause of asphyxiation and death. A literature search in Medline and Embase did not yield a description of a similar case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case highlights the risk of aspiration associated with polydipsia in chronic schizophrenia. Daily control of electrolytes to identify hyponatremia and regular observation are recommended but may not be sufficient to prevent sudden death from drinking huge amounts of water.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik, Klinikum Heidenheim.
authors.forename: Tanja Katharina Franziska
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Gaigalat
authors.forename: Frank Thomas
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Bopp
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zinkler
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D057915:Drug Substitution; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D059607:Polydipsia, Psychogenic / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D014869:Water Intoxication / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology