Sudden Cardiac Death

The most common cause of sudden cardiac death is ventricular tachyarrhythmia. Ventricular tachyarrhythmia is a very rapid and unstable rhythm that originates from the lower chambers of the heart, or the ventricles. Those at most risk for ventricular tachyarrhythmia are people with cardiomyopathy, or disease of the heart muscle. The weaker the strength of the muscle, the higher the risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

There are many different causes of cardiomyopathy. The most common cause is prior heart attacks where the muscle is permanently weakened by the heart attack. People with a prior heart attack should have their Ejection Fraction followed routinely, to make sure it is not dropping below 35 percent. Because there are also genetic causes for sudden cardiac death, it is important to know if anyone in the family have had sudden cardiac death. If there is someone in your family that has had cardiac death or cardiac arrest, you should consider getting a thorough cardiac evaluation.

The symptoms of sudden cardiac death are not always very helpful, as there is often a quick progression from the first symptoms to death. What people experience with these episodes are fainting and a suddenly racing pulse. Sometimes, people can have a sudden cardiac arrest that aborts by itself.