[Cardiac impairment after hanging attempt: a preliminary descriptive study].

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Forensic Medicine
• Intensive Care Medicine

Background:

• Cardiomyopathy has been observed following suicide attempts by hanging.
• Understanding cardiac dysfunction and its prognostic implications after hanging is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe cardiac dysfunction after hanging.
• To evaluate the consequences of cardiac dysfunction on prognosis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study of 15 intensive care unit patients admitted for hanging (1997-2011).
• Patients were grouped based on the presence or absence of cardiac arrest at presentation.
• Cardiac dysfunction was identified through clinical, biological, electrocardiographic, or echocardiographic abnormalities.

Main Results:

• Cardiac impairment occurred in 60% of patients (9 out of 15).
• Survival was poor for patients with initial cardiac arrest (1 out of 6 survived without severe neurological sequelae).
• Among patients without cardiac arrest, 56% experienced cardiac impairment, including Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in two cases; mortality was linked to initial neurological state and cardiac arrest, not cardiac involvement.

Conclusions:

• Predictors of mortality after hanging include impaired consciousness and initial cardiac arrest.
• Cardiac disease occurrence was not associated with increased mortality in this cohort.
• Cardiac dysfunction following hanging is often reversible and does not independently worsen prognosis.