by Aditi Mehta, MD; Erin Carlton, BS; and Kathleen Franco, MD, MS
Dr. Mehta is Chief Fellow, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio; Ms. Carlton is with Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio; and Dr. Franco is Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, and with Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.
by Alexander H. Fan, MD; and Stephen Fink, MD
Dr. Fan is a staff psychiatrist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California; Dr. Fink is with the Department of Anesthesiology, Stanford University.
by Randy A. Sansone, MD; and Mark Ferlan, DO
Dr. Sansone is a Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine at Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, and Director of Psychiatry Education at Kettering Medical Center in Kettering, Ohio. Dr. Ferlan is a resident in the Department of Internal Medicine at Kettering Medical Center in Kettering, Ohio.
by Michael Ignatowski, DO; Santokh Sidhu, BA; and Marie Rueve, MD
All from the Department of Psychiatry, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio
Key Words: catatonia, anticoagulation therapy, pulmonary embolism, immobility, major depressive disorder
Abstract
Catatonia in the setting of a mood disorder, an organic process, or a psychotic disorder presents significant risk to the patient’s well-being, as well as an additional barrier to treating the underlying disorder. The signs and symptoms of catatonia interfere severely with essential activities of daily living; they also at times compromise the ability of caregivers to evaluate and treat the patient’s primary disorder driving the catatonia. This interference often leads to medical emergencies, such as marked dehydration and pressure ulcers. Another life-threatening complication of the immobility commonly seen in catatonic patients is the development of deep vein thromboses (DVT) and pulmonary emboli. As with all patients, it is critical to provide preventative measures where possible to minimize risk of complications. Routine anticoagulation perhaps deserves more consideration in the case of catatonia, such as the one presented in this case report.
Psychiatry 2007;4(5):41-46
by Jonathon Klopp, LCPC; Shane Konrad, MD; Jason Yanofski, MD; and Anita Everett, MD
AUTHOR AFFILIATIONS: Dr. Everett is the section director of the community psychiatry program at Johns Hopkins Bayview; Mr. Klopp is clinical staff at Johns Hopkins, Bayview; and Drs. Konrad and Yanofski are residents in psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Baltimore, Maryland.
Abstract
Identity theft is a serious problem in the United States, and persons with enduring mental illnesses may be particularly vulnerable to becoming victims of this crime. Victims of identity theft experience a variety of consequences that include financial loss and serious emotional distress. Little is known about the impact of identity theft on individuals with mental illnesses. The two cases from a community mental health center presented in this article demonstrate many of the facets that may be associated with an increased risk for becoming the victim of identity theft. A summary of preventive steps as well as steps involved in resolving the crime once one has become a victim are presented.
Key Words: community mental health, identity theft
Psychiatry 2007;4(5):41-46
