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Sudden cardiac death
Is sudden cardiac death hereditary?
The majority of sudden cardiac deaths are caused by acute and extensive myocardial infarction, with some caused by malignant arrhythmias. Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease has a genetic history. Patients with such a family history, especially those with early-onset heart disease family history—that is, a family history of heart disease before the age of 50—should be given high attention. Heart disease has a genetic predisposition, and since sudden cardiac death is a type of heart disease, it also has a genetic predisposition.
The difference between cardiogenic sudden death and cerebrogenic sudden death.
The concept of sudden cardiac death exists, but there doesn't seem to be an equivalent term for "sudden brain death." For instance, if a large cerebral hemorrhage occurs and the patient dies within a very short time, this is referred to as death due to cerebral hemorrhage, not sudden death. Sudden death is characterized by death occurring unexpectedly within just a few minutes. The main difference between these, I think, is time. Sudden cardiac death happens very quickly and unexpectedly, which is why it's termed sudden death. In the case of brain-related issues, such as a significant cerebral hemorrhage, especially in the brainstem, it can compress the vital centers, leading to rapid respiratory and circulatory failure, and eventually death. Compared to sudden cardiac death, there is a slight delay in brain-related deaths; they don't occur as swiftly, and I believe the major difference lies in the timing.
Is sudden cardiac death related to eating a large number of eggs?
Sudden cardiac death is mostly due to coronary artery atherosclerotic heart disease, where the patient suffers from a large myocardial infarction. This is directly related to atherosclerosis, rupture of atherosclerotic plaques, formation of thrombosis, and obstruction of the coronary arteries. Therefore, the foundation of this disease is primarily hyperlipidemia and arteriosclerosis. Eating a lot of eggs is certainly not beneficial for arteriosclerosis and hyperlipidemia. We believe that there is definitely a connection, but it is not the only factor. For example, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, drinking, and other poor lifestyle habits are all related to heart disease. Thus, eating eggs is just one of the risk factors.
Does cardiogenic sudden death cause vomiting blood?
Of course, sudden cardiac death is now a very common cause of death. At places like airports and bus stations, we often see reports of such incidents, and many young people are also affected. However, patients experiencing sudden cardiac death generally do not present with symptoms of vomiting blood, as it is caused by cardiac arrest. Vomiting blood is usually associated with conditions such as gastric ulcers leading to severe bleeding, gastric cancer, or cirrhosis leading to rupture of varicose veins at the base of the stomach. The likelihood of vomiting blood occurring in cases of sudden cardiac death is very low, almost nonexistent.
Can cardiogenic sudden death be resuscitated?
If cardiogenic sudden death is promptly rescued, it is possible to save the individual. For example, if we immediately perform on-the-spot rescue after cardiogenic sudden death occurs, administering CPR within 4-6 minutes, then a large number of people can be rescued successfully. Some diseases might not even leave any sequelae. The key lies in the timing of the rescue. We say that time is life. For patients who suffer from cardiogenic sudden death, we must act immediately on the spot, wherever the sudden death occurs, to start the rescue, immediately initiating artificial respiration and external chest compressions.
Is cardiopulmonary resuscitation effective for sudden cardiac death?
Is cardiopulmonary resuscitation useful for sudden cardiac arrest? Of course, it is useful. The emergency measure for sudden cardiac arrest is to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. If the patient receives CPR within four minutes, they are very likely to survive. If there is a delay beyond four minutes, the patient’s life might still be prolonged if resuscitated, but they might suffer brain death and potentially become vegetative. Therefore, it is crucial to administer immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a patient experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, as this is the primary method of resuscitation.
The main cause of sudden cardiogenic cardiac arrest
70% of sudden cardiac deaths are caused by arrhythmias, often referred to as malignant arrhythmias, with the most common ones being ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. A small portion is caused by severe bradycardia. This condition is generally seen in patients with structural heart diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction, severe dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or patients in the late stages of valvular insufficiency or stenosis. It can also occur in patients with severe electrolyte disturbances, who are prone to malignant arrhythmias.
What causes cyanosis of the face and lips in sudden cardiac death?
In patients with cardiogenic sudden death, we can see that their lips turn purple, commonly referred to as cyanosis of the lips. Similarly, their faces also turn purple. This primarily results from cardiac arrest caused by cardiogenic sudden death. Once the heart stops beating, the blood supply to the entire body, including the heart, brain, kidneys, peripheral vessels, face, skin, and fingers, is halted. This leads to a state of hypoxia. The purple discoloration (cyanosis) occurs because, after the heart stops, there is no blood flow and no oxygen exchange in the blood, ultimately leading to hypoxia.
Does sudden cardiac death have a connection with overwork?
Sudden cardiac death is directly related to overexertion, particularly in individuals with coronary heart disease, congenital heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, viral myocarditis, and heart rhythm disorders, especially those accompanied by heart failure. Excessive strain can increase the burden on the heart, exacerbate heart failure, lead to arrhythmias, and in severe cases, result in sudden death. Therefore, patients with structural heart disease must follow a doctor's guidance to routinely use effective medications for treatment, rest adequately, avoid overexertion, and maintain a low-fat, low-salt diet to minimize factors that increase cardiac load and prevent the occurrence of sudden death.
What does sudden cardiac death mean?
Sudden cardiac death refers to the sudden mortality caused by heart diseases, and the reasons for sudden cardiac death primarily include the following aspects: First, structural heart diseases, such as coronary heart disease and acute myocardial infarction; acute myocardial infarction is currently the most common cause of sudden cardiac death. Second, certain ion channel diseases, such as Brugada syndrome, or long QT syndrome. These types of ion channel diseases often coincide with malignant ventricular arrhythmias, such as torsade de pointes ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, thus leading to the occurrence of these fatal phenomena. Third, severe arrhythmias, such as severe bradycardia or ventricular tachycardia related to structural heart disease, often trigger malignant ventricular arrhythmias, leading to death.