1Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary, Karnataka
2Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary, Karnataka
3Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary, Karnataka
*Corresponding author: Dr. Bellara Raghavendra, Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary, Karnataka. Email ID: bellararaghu@gmail.com Mobile #: +91 9901301830
Online published on 2 January, 2016.
Sudden deaths due to cardiovascular causes is an important component of sudden natural deaths holding a lions share. Given the current trends and projected burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC), it is likely that SCD will also increase in LMIC in the future.
To study the sudden cardiac deaths due to coronary artery disease and factors influencing these deaths.
A case series autopsy study of sudden deaths due to coronary artery disease in young adults among autopsies was conducted at department of forensic medicine, Victoria hospital, Bangalore Medical College, Bangalore, between January 2005 to December 2005. A sum total of 52 cases were studied and detailed autopsy was done in all the cases also taking aid of histopathological examination in all the cases.
Maximum numbers of deaths were seen, in the age group of 41–50 years (46.2%) followed by 31–40 years (42.3%), males (92%) outnumbered the females (8%) in being victims of coronary artery disease. Double vessel disease was seen in more than half of the cases (57.6%) followed by single vessel disease (34.6%) and triple vessel disease (7.6%). Atheromatous type of occlusion (77%) was seen in majority of cases followed by thrombosis (19.2%) and both atheromatous and thrombosis was seen in few cases (3.8%). Majority of the victims were obese (75%). Smoking and alcohol formed the fatal combination of habits contributing to coronary artery disease in nearly half of the victims (48.1%).
In this study coronary atherosclerosis was the major cause of sudden cardiac death. Sudden death is a source of concern and a detailed postmortem examination is mandatory to ascertain the cause.
Sudden cardiac death, coronary atherosclerosis, autopsy study
