Sudden cardiac death in alcoholic cardiomyopathy–A seychelles experience

This study was done to know the incidence of alcoholic cardiomyopathy among victims of sudden cardiac death in the Republic of Seychelles. Alcohol related heart disease has been a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the Seychelles due to the increased consumption of alcohol among the Seychellois. Retrospective analysis of 866 autopsies over a 5 year period was done. Cases of sudden cardiac death due to alcoholic cardiomyopathy were studied. Cases with history or symptoms of ischemic, hypertensive and congenital heart disease were excluded. Gross and microscopic findings of the heart were correlated with clinical history and history of alcoholism. The study showed 46 cases of sudden cardiac death due to non-ischemic causes were observed during this 5 year period. 42 of the 46 cases were due to alcoholic cardiomyopathy, an incidence of 91%. Almost all were men, middle aged to elderly. This study confirms the high frequency of alcohol related cardiomyopathy as an important cause of sudden cardiac death in the Seychelles.