engleski

Psychical trauma – how often are we using this diagnosis?

Four criteria have to be fulfilled to establish the diagnosis of psychical trauma: 1. experience of intensive emotional stress, 2. preexisting health impairment which represent cause of death, 3. unity of event, emotional stress, health impairment and death and 4. any other cause of death have to be excluded. To examine how often this diagnosis is designated we review autopsy records of the Department of Forensic Medicine and Criminology, Zagreb University School of Medicine between 1990 and 2008. In nineteen years period 26 968 autopsies were performed at the Department and in 19 cases the diagnosis of psychical trauma was established (0, 07%). Among victims there were 15 males and 4 females. Age range was between 17 and 79 years (mean 56, 6 years). The intensive emotional stress was the consequence of the physical fight in most cases (12). The arteriosclerosis and heart problems represent the usual preexisting health impairment. In one case victim has cerebral aneurysm and in one case victim known for hypotension. According to available data all victims die during the event or in next 24 hours. Most of the victims (15) have some injuries (from bodily injury to serious bodily injury). It is worth to mention that fourteen victims were sober. Yielded data about psychical trauma diagnosis showed that this diagnosis is designating very seldom. If we strictly follow above mention criteria the psychical trauma diagnose won’t be misuse and will be kept for particular cases where the strong correlation between emotional stress, health impairment and death is establish.

psychical trauma; sudden death

nije evidentirano