[Psychiatric drugs as risk factor in fatal heat stroke]

Two men aged 33 and 31 years suffered a fatal heat stroke on a warm summer day. One of them used pimozide and clomipramine, the other zuclopenthixol, dexetimide, droperidol, promethazine and propranolol as psychiatric medication. Both of them had a body temperature > 42.3 degrees C, without perspiring. At first only a comatose situation with practically normal laboratory values existed; this was rapidly followed by massive liver damage, disseminated intravascular coagulation, anaemia, thrombopenia and acute renal failure. In spite of adequate and rapid treatment these complications were fatal. Both patients used medication with an antidopaminergic and anticholinergic (side) effect. The set point of the temperature regulation centre can be elevated by the antidopaminergic activity of antipsychotics. Use of anticholinergic medication can disturb the thermoregulation via inhibition of the parasympathicomimetically mediated sweat secretion. It is recommended to point out the danger of unusually high outdoor temperatures to patients using this medication.