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Peter Reich, MD; Regis A. DeSilva, MB, FRCP(C); Bernard Lown, MD; Benjamin J. Murawski, PhD

JAMA. 1981;246(3):233-235.

Abstract
To investigate the prevalence of acute psychological disturbances during the 24 hours preceding life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, we studied the mental states and psychological experiences preceding arrhythmic episodes in 117 patients who were referred for antiarrhythmic management. Sixty-two had survived cardiac arrest and 55 suffered symptomatic ventricular tachycardia. Twenty-five patients were experiencing acute emotional disturbances during the 24 hours preceding the arrhythmias. Eighteen had two or more episodes associated with psychological disturbances. These 25 patients were distinguished from the rest of the series in having generally less severe structural heart disease.

(JAMA 1981;246:233-235)

Author Affiliations
From the Division of Psychiatry, Department of Medicine (Drs Reich and Murawski), and the Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine (Drs DeSilva and Lown), Brigham and Women's Hospital; the Department of Psychiatry (Drs Reich and Murawski), Harvard Medical School; and the Cardiovascular Laboratory (Drs DeSilva and Lown), Harvard School of Public Health, Boston.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Division of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115 (Dr Reich).

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