Is there a difference between sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction?

Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
Updated on December 24, 2024
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Sudden cardiac death refers to the death of patients caused by various reasons such as cardiac enlargement, ventricular aneurysm, cardiac valve dysfunction, arrhythmias, and cardiac infections. Myocardial infarction leading to myocardial death is just one type of sudden cardiac death, mainly due to insufficient cardiac blood supply, leading to arrhythmias, heart failure, shock, acute death caused by the formation of intracardiac thrombosis, or death caused by complications after a heart attack. Therefore, the range of sudden cardiac death is quite broad, including myocardial infarction.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
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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.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
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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.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
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The difference between sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction

Sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction are both types of coronary heart disease, but they are different from each other. Firstly, having a myocardial infarction does not necessarily result in sudden death. Myocardial damage involves a large area of necrosis in the heart, and the patient may experience symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, chest pain, and sweating. The main symptom of sudden cardiac death is the abrupt cessation of vital signs, with breathing and pulse disappearing. This condition can be caused by a large and extensive acute myocardial infarction, but it can also be caused by other reasons such as electrolyte disturbances or malignant arrhythmias, which are different causes.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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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.

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Written by Chen Guang Yin
Cardiology
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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.