2003 FEB 23 (NewsRx.com) - Researchers in Sweden conducted an investigation "to study the incidence, pathogenesis and symptoms preceding sudden cardiovascular death among 15-35-year-olds without substance abuse in Sweden during 1992-1999.
"This was a register study of a national database of forensic medicine, Rattsbase. Clinical details were obtained from forensic, police and medical records and from interviews with family memebers", stated A. Wisten and coauthors, Sunderby Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine.
The researchers reported that "we found 181 cases of sudden cardiac death in a nationwide database, in 15-35-year olds, of which 132 (73%) were male and 49 (27%) were female, and a rather stable incidence of 0.93 per 100 000 per year. Preceding symptoms were seen in half the cases. The most common forensic diagnosis were: no structural abnormality (21%), coronary artherosclerosis (17.7%), dilated cardiomyopathy (12.2%), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (10.5%) and myocarditis.
"Sudden cardiovascular death was uncommon in the young, but the incidence was not decreasing. Postmortem diagnosis were often difficult to establish. There was a high frequency of structurally normal hearts".
Wisten and coauthors concluded: "Because premortal cardia-related symptoms are relatively common and treatment methods are developing, we should learn to recognize early symptoms of heart disease. To identify individuals at risk, further studies of preceding symptoms, life-style factors and (ECG) changes are needed".
Wisten and colleagues published the results of their study in the Journal of Internal Medicine (Sudden cardiac death in 15-35-year olds in Sweden during 1992-1999, J Intern Med, 2002;252(6):529-536).
The corresponding author for this report is A. Wisten, Sunderby Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, SE-97180 Lulea, Sweden.
"This was a register study of a national database of forensic medicine, Rattsbase. Clinical details were obtained from forensic, police and medical records and from interviews with family memebers", stated A. Wisten and coauthors, Sunderby Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine.
The researchers reported that "we found 181 cases of sudden cardiac death in a nationwide database, in 15-35-year olds, of which 132 (73%) were male and 49 (27%) were female, and a rather stable incidence of 0.93 per 100 000 per year. Preceding symptoms were seen in half the cases. The most common forensic diagnosis were: no structural abnormality (21%), coronary artherosclerosis (17.7%), dilated cardiomyopathy (12.2%), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (10.5%) and myocarditis.
"Sudden cardiovascular death was uncommon in the young, but the incidence was not decreasing. Postmortem diagnosis were often difficult to establish. There was a high frequency of structurally normal hearts".
Wisten and coauthors concluded: "Because premortal cardia-related symptoms are relatively common and treatment methods are developing, we should learn to recognize early symptoms of heart disease. To identify individuals at risk, further studies of preceding symptoms, life-style factors and (ECG) changes are needed".
Wisten and colleagues published the results of their study in the Journal of Internal Medicine (Sudden cardiac death in 15-35-year olds in Sweden during 1992-1999, J Intern Med, 2002;252(6):529-536).
The corresponding author for this report is A. Wisten, Sunderby Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, SE-97180 Lulea, Sweden.
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