Management of sudden cardiac death

• Autores: Michael Papadakis, Aneil Malhotra, Sanjay Sharma
• Localización: Medicine, ISSN-e 1357-3039, Vol. 42, Nº. 10, 2014, págs. 595-597
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Every medical graduate will encounter a case of sudden cardiac death (SCD) during their medical training and face the unpleasant task of disclosing the tragic news to the family of the victim. Although the majority of deaths will affect middle-aged and elderly individuals, very occasionally a young and apparently healthy person may fall victim to SCD, making the experience even more poignant. The majority of SCDs and arrests in the young are secondary to previously quiescent, inherited cardiac diseases, galvanizing discussions relating to primary and secondary prevention strategies to avert such catastrophes. It is important that all clinicians have a basic understanding of conditions predisposing to SCD in the young, as the impact associated with the missed opportunity to save a young life cannot be underestimated. This article provides an overview of the epidemiology of SCD, the management of the most common implicated pathologies and potential prevention strategies. Most importantly, it outlines the management of surviving first-degree relatives, as the SCD of a young individual is the beginning of a long and arduous road for the grieving family.