The difference between sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction.

Written by Chen Guang Yin

Cardiology

Updated on September 12, 2024

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Sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction are both types of coronary heart disease; they are classified under coronary heart disease. Sudden cardiac death is mostly caused by extensive myocardial infarction, with some patients experiencing it due to severe arrhythmias leading to sudden death. The primary clinical symptoms of myocardial infarction are typically those of coronary heart disease, including chest tightness, chest pain, and sweating. Sudden cardiac death can be triggered by myocardial infarction, but the two are not the same. Having a myocardial infarction does not necessarily result in sudden death, and myocardial infarction can be alleviated with treatment.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin

Cardiology

52sec

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How to Self-Check for Precursors of Cardiogenic Sudden Death

The majority of cases of sudden cardiac death are due to coronary artery atherosclerotic heart disease, causing extensive myocardial infarction, hence these patients often have precursors. Some individuals experience acute coronary syndrome due to inflammatory changes, leading to thrombosis; others, such as young people without any underlying conditions, might also experience this, often due to poor lifestyle habits like high stress and lack of sleep among other triggers. Most patients exhibit warning signs, including chest tightness, chest pain, and palpitations – symptoms of heart disease. When these problems occur, it is crucial to promptly visit a hospital for examination to determine if there are issues with the coronary arteries, and if so, to receive timely treatment and intervention.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin

Cardiology

43sec

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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.

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Written by Li Hai Wen

Cardiology

42sec

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Can sudden cardiac death be hereditary?

Sudden cardiac death has genetic characteristics, and common causes of sudden cardiac death mainly include the following aspects: Coronary heart disease, angina, and myocardial infarction, especially acute myocardial infarction, often lead to sudden death in patients; Secondly, long QT syndrome and Brugada syndrome are also common diseases causing sudden cardiac death and have genetic characteristics as hereditary arrhythmogenic disorders; Thirdly, aortic dissection or pulmonary embolism. These diseases are usually not highly related to genetics but can also cause sudden cardiac death, hence sudden cardiac death is genetic.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong

Cardiology

1min 5sec

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Can cardiogenic sudden death cause vomiting?

Sudden cardiac death is commonly seen in three scenarios. The first scenario involves severe arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or cardiac arrest, which do not cause vomiting. The second scenario is due to severe valvular dysfunction caused by acute myocardial infarction or valvular disease, which also generally does not cause vomiting. The third scenario concerns patients with severe cardiac diseases who have mural thrombi in their hearts. If a thrombus detaches, it can lead to fatal systemic embolism. For instance, if the thrombus travels to the cerebral arteries, it can cause cerebellar or cerebral artery occlusion, leading to brain herniation. This may result in symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, and limb dysfunction. If it travels to the mesenteric artery, it can cause gastrointestinal pain and result in vomiting. Therefore, some cases of sudden cardiac death may cause vomiting.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin

Cardiology

34sec

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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.