Medico-Legal Update

  • Year: 2019
  • Volume: 19
  • Issue: 2

Pattern of Sudden Natural Deaths in Adults: An Autopsy based Study

1Associate Professor, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, MIMSR Medical College, Latur

2Assistant Professor, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, IMS, Banaras Hindu University

3Professor and Head Dept. of Forensic Medicine, IMS, Banaras Hindu University

4Assistant Professor, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Govt. Medical College, Jagdalpur (C.G)

*Corresponding author: Dr. Kumar Gyanendra, Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Govt. Medical College, Jagdalpur (C.G), Email- gyan.aug30@gmail.com

Online published on 8 August, 2019.

Abstract

Very often in sudden natural death (SND), due to rapidity of onset of symptoms and suddenness of death, the attending physician could not certify the death with confidence, even though he is familiar with medical history of patient. Such deaths must undergo Medico-legal autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and to rule out any foul play. The data regarding the incidence and cause of SND will be helpful for planning health programs at community level. The objective of the present study is the same.

The medico-legal autopsy record, police inquest papers, other relevant laboratory investigation of SNDs over the two year study period were verified and considered in the present study.

10.08% deaths were due to sudden natural deaths (SND) with male to female ratio 4.1: 1. Most of the SNDs were in 4th (31.54%) and 5th(26.42%) decade of life. Cardiac causes (50.94%) were most predominant followed by respiratory causes (26.15%). Over all coronary artery disease (CAD) was the commonest cause of SNDs.

Keywords

Sudden natural death, Medico-legal autopsy, Coronary artery disease