Fatal pulmonary thromboembolism after prolonged physical immobilization in hospitalized psychiatric patients.

Background/aim: Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) may be one of the causes of sudden death in hospitalized psychiatric patients. The aim of our study was to investigate whether fatal PTE in these patients may be the result of their prolonged physical immobilization, particularly when there were associated risk factors, and to emphasize the importance of this problem.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records of psychiatric patients died suddenly at the Department of Intensive Care of the Clinic of Psychiatry "Dr Laza Lazarevic", Belgrade, in the period January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2011, was performed.