Analysis of Causes of Sudden Death on the Basis of Autopsy Findings-A Study of 40 Cases at Tertiary Care Hospital, Quetta Balochistan

Abstract

Objective: To study the spectrum of sudden death cases at Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Quetta Pakistan.

Study Design: Case series study.

Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Quetta Pakistan, from Jun 2014 to Jun 2019.

Methodology: The study included all the autopsies/postmortems carried out on the cases due to sudden death from June 2014 to June 2019 at Combined Military Hospital, Quetta Pakistan. Detailed postmortem, internal and external examination, and histomorphology of vital organs were done in all cases of sudden death.

Results: A total of 40 cases of sudden deaths were studied. The age of the study subjects ranged from 24 to 45 years. Maximum deaths occurred in the age group between 30 to 45 years. The cause of death in 22 cases (55%) was attributed to cardiac events,the most common cause being coronary artery disease (59.0%). The remaining 18 cases (45%) were due to other non-cardiac causes.

Conclusion: Sudden death is the most common cause seen in young adults, most of which are attributed to cardiac causes.This study highlights serious health issues in our setup and the necessity to create awareness among the young adults at risk so that sudden deaths can be averted and life expectancy can be improved.