Search results for " Sudden"

Mechanism of fatal air embolism after gastrointestinal endoscopy.

1998

Although venous air embolism is a known complication in medical practice in general, only a single case of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy complicated by venous air embolism with consecutive acute cardiovascular failure has so far been described in literature. Here we show that gastroscopy may be accompanied by massive, i.e. fatal venous air embolism. If a vessel in the gastrointestinal tract is exposed but does not collapse (in the case of a gastric ulcer, for example) air insufflated under pressure by the gastroscope may lead to a fatal air embolism. Our tests using a commercial gastroscope revealed that an overpressure of up to 43 kPa (kiloPascals) is reached without the rinsing functio…

Arrhythmic sudden cardiac death in a 3-year-old child with intimal fibroplasia of coronary arteries, aorta, and its branches

2001

Abstract We report an unusual case of “arrhythmic” sudden cardiac death in a 3-year-old child who died of ischemic myocardial lesions as a result of intimal fibroplasia of the coronary arteries. Also affected were the aorta and its major branches, whereas renal and mesenteric arteries, celiac trunk, and systemic veins were normal. Histopathologic examination showed severe concentric thickening of intima because of a proliferation of spindle-shaped cells (mesenchymal cells) set in an abundant extracellular matrix. In some vascular segments the intima was densely fibrotic and hyalinized. No significant inflammation, foam cells, cholesterol clefts, or other evidence of atheroma were present. T…

Sudden cardiac death while wearing a Holter monitor

1991

The Holter tapes of 61 patients (46 men, mean age +/- standard deviation 65 +/- 11 years) with sudden cardiac death while being monitored were analyzed. Thirty-eight patients were known to have coronary artery disease, 5 had cardiomyopathy, and 7 had aortic valve disease. Etiology remained unknown in 11 patients. Mean New York Heart Association functional class was 2.5 +/- 0.7. Thirty patients had received antiarrhythmic drugs and 32 had received digitalis. Sudden death occurred at rest in 73%. In the hours before death, repetitive ventricular arrhythmias were found in 50 patients (82%), with atrial fibrillation in 34%. Patients with bradyarrhythmic death (18%) had less complex ventricular …

Mortality after cardioverter-defibrillator replacement: Results of the DECODE survival score index

2020

Background Device replacement is the ideal time to reassess health care goals regarding continuing implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy. Only few data are available on the decision making at this time. Objectives The goals of this study were to identify factors associated with poor prognosis at the time of ICD replacement and to develop a prognostic index able to stratify those patients at risk of dying early. Methods DEtect long-term COmplications after implantable cardioverter-DEfibrillator replacement (DECODE) was a prospective, single-arm, multicenter cohort study aimed at estimating long-term complications in a large population of patients who underwent ICD/cardiac resy…

Prognostic Role of Late Gadolinium Enhancement in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Low-to-Intermediate Sudden Cardiac Death Risk Score

2019

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the most life-threating complication of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) suggest the implantation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator in primary prevention according to a 5-year risk SCD score >= 6%. The aim of the study is to evaluate the prognostic role of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in patients with a 5-year risk SCD score <6%. In this multicenter study, we performed cardiac magnetic resonance in 354 consecutive hypertrophic cardiomy-opathy patients (257 males, range of age 54 +/- 17) with a risk SCD score <6% (302 with <4% and 52 with >= 4 and <6% risk). Hard cardiac events,…

Noncompaction of the Right Ventricle

2010

Noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium is a disease characterized by an increase of the ventricular trabecular meshwork caused by arrest of the normal endomyocardial morphogenesis (Figs. 1, 2, 3). In accordance with the normal human anatomy, the left ventricular wall is well compacted with a few thin trabeculae; on the contrary, the normal right ventricular wall is furrowed by many trabeculae (the trabecula of the marginal septum as well as other ones). For this reason, the term ‘‘noncompaction’’ usually refers to an exclusive or prevalent disease of the left ventricle [1–16]. Recently Song and Aragona et al. [1–3] reported two cases of isolated right-ventricular noncompaction. Accordi…

Electrocardiographic Abnormalities and Mortality in Epilepsy Patients

2021

Background and Objectives: People with epilepsy (PWE) have a 2–3 times higher mortality rate than the general population. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) comprises a significant proportion of premature deaths, whereas sudden cardiac death (SCD) is among the leading causes of sudden death in the general population. Cardiac pathologies are significantly more prevalent in PWE. Whether electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters are associated with remote death in PWE has yet to be elucidated. The study objective was to assess whether interictal ECG parameters are associated with mortality in the long-term. Materials and Methods: The study involved 471 epilepsy patients who were hospitali…

Post-mortem microbiology in sudden death: sampling protocols proposed in different clinical settings

2019

Abstract Background Autopsies, including minimally invasive autopsies, are a powerful tool for determination of the cause of death. When a patient dies from an infection, microbiology is crucial to identify the causative organism. Post-mortem microbiology (PMM) aims to detect unexpected infections causing sudden deaths; confirm clinically suspected but unproven infection; evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy; identify emergent pathogens; and recognize medical errors. Additionally, the analysis of the thanatomicrobiome may help to estimate the post-mortem interval. Aims The aim was to provide advice in the collection of PMM samples and to propose sampling guidelines for microbiolog…

Assessment of blood pressure early morning rise

2002

Myocardial bridge pathology and preventable accidents during physical activity of healthy subjects: A case report and a literature review.

2020

Myocardial bridging is a congenital coronary pathology described as a segment of coronary artery which courses through the myocardial wall under the muscle bridge. Although the prognosis of myocardial bridging is benign, sports medicine recognises myocardial bridging as a leading cause of sudden death among young basketball, football and soccer players. The authors report a case of a 42-year-old man who collapsed while playing football. He died notwithstanding prompt medical assistance and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. At autopsy, gross examination of the heart revealed the intramural course of the left anterior descending coronary artery to be 2 cm from its coronary ostial origin. Histol…