Barbosa, SofiaSequeira, MárciaCastro, SaraManso, RitaCâmara, Catarina KlutTrancas, BrunoBorja-Santos, NunoMaia, Teresa2017-12-112017-12-112016-080870-399XPURE: 2432664PURE UUID: d8a92bdb-ae3d-4b8e-a2d0-25e53055e821Scopus: 84984874805WOS: 000393811000009PubMed: 27914158http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84984874805&partnerID=8YFLogxKIntroduction: Psychiatric patients are at increased risk of death from a number of natural and unnatural causes. This study examines the mortality causes of all psychiatric inpatients of an acute psychiatric unit at a general hospital in Portugal for sixteen years (1998 to 2013). Material and Methods: Twenty-one inpatients died at the inpatient unit between 1998 and 2013 (average 1.3 per year). A retrospective study through case-file review was carried to collect demographic characteristics, medical and psychiatry diagnosis. Patients transferred to other wards during their admission were not included. Results: Circulatory system diseases were the most prevalent causes of death, occurring in 2/3 of patients and include pulmonary embolism (n = 6), acute stroke (n = 3), cardiac arrhythmia (n = 2), acute myocardial infarction (n = 1), abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture (n = 1) and heart failure (n = 1). Two patients died with pneumonia and in four cases the cause of death was undetermined. Only one case of suicide was registered. Discussion: Circulatory conditions were the most frequent causes of death in our inpatient unit. Albeit a relatively rare event, inpatient suicide does occur and, in addition to its complex consequences on staff, family and patients should remain a focus for continued prevention. Conclusion: Mortality studies are important for determining quality of health care and to create recommendations for preventive measures.8352677porCause of deathHospitalHospital mortalityMental disorders/mortalityPortugalPsychiatric departmentGeneral MedicineSDG 3 - Good Health and Well-beingjournal article10.20344/amp.6905https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84984874805