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Sudden Cardiac Death

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Cardiac Pathology

Abstract

Sudden death from cardiac disease is common across the world. This chapter considers the range of cardiac pathology causing sudden death, as well as the strategies to confirm cardiac disease as the cause of the death. It also considers non-cardiac conditions that may mimic cardiac disease. A pragmatic approach to the common disorders of ischemic heart disease, valvular pathology, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis and other lesions is given. A commentary of channelopathies is provided together with consideration of abnormal conduction pathways. Issues regarding medico-legal deaths, affecting those with cardiac pathology following stressful events, are debated. Some aspects of post-operative deaths are also described. The role of obesity in sudden cardiac death is also presented along with rarer causes of sudden death (thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, commotio cordis and muscular dystrophy). A tabular analysis of the likelihood of cardiac pathology being implicated in the cause of death is provided.

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Correspondence to S. Kim Suvarna .

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Suvarna, S.K. (2019). Sudden Cardiac Death. In: Suvarna, S. (eds) Cardiac Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24560-3_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24560-3_14

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