Sudden cardiac arrest due to acute gastric dilatation in a patient with an eating disorder

Eating disorders are an important cause of physical and psychosocial morbidity in adolescent girls and young adult women. Although eating disorders have many medical complications, it is unclear which are responsible for the increased mortality. It should be emphasised that a number of different pathological processes are likely to be involved. Patients with eating disorders should be monitored carefully and should remain hospitalised. This can allow immediate emergency treatment to be performed when necessary because they could have a further cardiac arrest. A case of cardiac arrest is reported that was caused by gastric dilatation and elevated abdominal pressure, which were brought on by binge eating in a patient without intestinal obstruction.