Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Causes of sudden cardiac death according to age and sex in persons aged 1–49 years
Authors' conclusion
The proportion of SCD cases that were identified with a potentially inherited cardiac disease postmortem was high in all studied age groups, while autopsy rates in sudden and unexpected death cases declined markedly with increasing age.
Study context
- Population
- All persons in Denmark aged 1–35 years (2000–2009) and 36–49 years (2007–2009); Sudden cardiac death (SCD) cases by 5-year age group27.1 million person-years
- Outcome
- Overall and sex-stratified causes of SCD according to age
Methodological detailsDenmark
- Denmark
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Causes of SCD by age group · 10-year study period
Deaths in study period
14,294
Classified as SCD
1362
10%
Potentially inherited cardiac disease among autopsied SCD, all age groups
43%-78%
SCD caused by sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, all age groups
19%-54%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Autopsy rates in sudden unexpected death and SCD cases
- Autopsy rate, youngest age group
- 74%
- Autopsy rate, oldest age group
- 35%
- Declined significantly with increasing age
Original publication
Causes of sudden cardiac death according to age and sex in persons aged 1–49 years. Heart Rhythm. Published 6 September 2022. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →