An Analysis on the Normal and Near Normal Hearts in Adult Sudden Cardiac Death.

Korean J Leg Med. 2000 Oct;24(2):37-44. Korean.

Department of Forensic Medicine, Catholic University College of Medicine, Korea.

National Institute of Scientific Investigation, Korea.

The authors analysed 53 cases of sudden cardiac death(SCD) without prominent structural abnormalies of heart out of witnessed 300 cases. Thirty four cases were associated with sleep and 19 with activity or rest. Twenty one cases were classified as having normal hearts, and the rest as structurally mild abnormal ones. Male was predominant, and almost of the victims were suffered in their twenties or thirties. All cases collapsed instantaneously or in very short time with various and not specific terminal symptoms. Inducing or trigger factors are not clarified in almost of the cases. Mechanisms or causes of death could not be defined clearly. We concluded that careful heart examination with detailed clinical history under the appropriate postmortem investigation system is only effective approach for the true mechanism and cause of death.