Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Sudden cardiac death due to aortic stenosis
- registry
- autopsy-verified
- consecutive subjects
Authors' conclusion
VHD is a rare cause of SCD, where AS is the dominant underlying pathology. SCD due to AS occurs often without previous diagnosis. Near-universal presence of cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis at autopsy supports the role of advanced myocardial disease in the pathogenesis of SCD due to AS.
Study context
- Population
- Subjects with autopsy-verified sudden cardiac death in the Finnish Genetic Study of Arrhythmic Events (Fingesture), 1998–2017consecutive subjects of autopsy-verified SCD between 1998 and 2017, valvular heart disease (VHD) the cause of SCD in 64
- Participants
- 5,869 subjects
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
VHD as cause of SCD
VHD determined to be the cause of SCD
64 subjects (1.1%)
Aortic stenosis (AS) as cause of SCD due to VHD
68.8%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Characteristics of victims of SCD due to AS
- Average age
- 67.5±12.1 years
- Male
- 79.5%
- Documented angina prior to SCD
- 6.8%
- Documented dyspnoea prior to SCD
- 4.5%
- No previously established diagnosis of AS
- 54.5%
Autopsy findings in SCD due to AS
- Cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis at autopsy
- 93.2%
Original publication
Sudden cardiac death due to aortic stenosis. Heart. Published 7 October 2026. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2026-328438
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it