Among stroke survivors, younger patients and those with more-severe strokes are at increased risk for attempting suicide.
Mood disorders are common after stroke, and risk for suicidal behavior appears to be increased. Now, using data from Swedish national registries, researchers have assessed the occurrence of suicide attempts (hospital admissions for intentional self-harm) and completed suicides among patients first entered in the Swedish Stroke Register between 2001 and 2012.
Stroke severity was rated by consciousness level on hospital admission. At 3 months, depression was assessed through one general question (“do you feel depressed?”); other questions asked about depression treatment and general health.
Among 220,336 stroke survivors followed for ≤12 years, there were 1217 suicide attempts and 260 completed suicides. The risk for suicide attempts was six ti…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)