Anxiety may be linked to an increased likelihood of death among individuals 65 and older, but not among those under age 65, according to a retrospective study in The BMJ today.
The researchers searched two electronic medical record databases with information on anxiety disorders, stressful life events and hospitalisation for mental health conditions.
Among everyone over 65, death due to any reason was 2.1% (273 of 8,099 patients), of elderly patients (95 of 3,111), of general practitioners and all public health workers (14 of 51), and of all nurses (12 of 8,046).Death due to anxiety disorders was linked with a threefold higher risk of death from any cause, especially health-related death, and when the category was considered separately, the suicide death was associated with a 17% greater risk of death from any cause, compared to usual care.
It may have violated quality control, a bias, or a lack of statistical significance, the study’s authors say.
This is not a risk factor for suicide, though there is a slightly higher risk for breaking, choking or suffocating something or someone else with an unknown intention, was a factor for suicide risk measures, and for non-self-harm injuries.
