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SUDDEN DEATH FROM ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE A REVIEW OF FIVE HUNDRED CONSECUTIVE CASES
Author(s) -
Lovegrove T.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1977.tb130563.x
Subject(s) - medicine , autopsy , cardiology , ischaemic heart disease , pathological , coroner , myocardial infarction , cause of death , cardiac tamponade , sudden death , tamponade , abnormality , sudden cardiac death , disease , medical emergency , poison control , injury prevention , psychiatry
The history and autopsy findings in 500 cases of ischaemic heart death investigated by the Perth City Coroner were examined. Pathology evidence of myocardial infarction was present in 105 cases (21%) and of coronary thrombosis in 108 cases (21 $md 6%). The only structural pathological abnormality leading directly to death was cardiac rupture with tamponade, which occurred in 25 cases (5%). Strenuous exercise was directly associated with the onset of fatal symptoms only rarely (in 7% of cases). These findings indicate that functional rather than structural abnormalities are the major cause of death in ischaemic heart attacks.