Sudden unexplained death in a psychiatric patient taking thioridazine

This report describes the sudden unexplained death of a young, physically healthy, psychotic woman. She had received moderate doses of thioridazine for four days prior to her death. No cause of death could be determined at autopsy. The literature regarding other such case reports and possible cardiotoxic effects of phenothiazine is cited, but no clear-cut correlations or explanations have been demonstrated.