Excited catatonia in a patient with fatal pulmonary embolism and a successful treatment strategy

Background Patients with psychiatric disorders in critical condition are difficult to treat. In this study, we report on a patient with underlying schizoaffective disorder who developed catatonia, cardiac arrest, and pulmonary embolism, as well as a successful treatment strategy. Case presentation The inpatient is a 41-year-old morbidly obese male with schizoaffective disorder whose clozapine dosage was titrated from 100 mg to 175 mg due to auditory hallucination and agitation. The patient abruptly developed acute cardiopulmonary symptoms associated with an elevated troponin-I level. He was transferred to a cardiac intensive care unit, where he remained for 3 days. He was also found to have excited catatonic symptoms, and the lorazepam-diazepam protocol was initiated to quickly relieve the catatonia. Once the coronary angiogram was read as normal, the patient was transferred back to the psychiatric ward. However, the patient then suffered from in-hospital cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated and again transferred to the medical intensive care unit. Computed tomography confirmed the diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism. The patient was treated with Rivaroxaban 30 mg/d for the first 21 days, followed by 20 mg daily for 3 months. To control his severe and refractory psychotic symptoms, the patient was re-prescribed clozapine. During the 15-month follow-up period, the patient demonstrated a fair response and tolerability to clozapine 150 mg without symptoms relapse and no thromboembolic event. Conclusion This report can serve to remind psychiatrists and physicians to be aware of fatal conditions in patients with psychiatric diseases and physical illnesses.