Pathophysiology of sudden death
Ekerbicer N, Zeyfeoglu Y.
Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Surgical Medical Sciences. 2006;
2(50): 79-86.
ABSTRACT:
Sudden death is now currently described as natural unexpected death occurring within 1 h
of new symptoms. Most studies on the subject focused on cardiac causes of death because most of the cases are related to cardiovascular
disease, especially coronary artery disease.
The role of the police surgeon in the investigation of sudden death is very important.
According to recent autopsy studies, coronary artery disease is still the major cause of death in people aged more than 35
years. Cardiomyopathies are more frequently encountered in people aged less than 35 years. Most of the recent progress in
autopsy diagnosis of sudden unexpected death in the adults comes from molecular biology, especially in case of sudden death
without significant morphological anomalies. Searching mutations linked with functional cardiac pathology such as long-QT
syndrome, Brugada syndrome or idiopathic ventricular fibrillation is now the best way in order to explain such sudden death.
Keywords: Death-sudden,
Autopsy, Cardiomyopathies.
