Haloperidol and Sudden Death due to Pulmonary Edema

• We report herein a case of sudden unexpected death In a 30-year-old man who had received moderate doses of haloperidol for control of agitation. Autopsy disclosed acute gross pulmonary edema. No supporting autopsy evidence for known causes of acute pulmonary edema were found, and we postulate that the pulmonary edema was induced by haloperidol. We comment on the pathophysiologic pathways by which haloperidol might have led to this complication. (Arch Intern Med1982;142:1951-1952)