When someone dies abruptly and unexpectedly from a cardiac arrest, but the reason of the cardiac arrest cannot be determined, this is known as sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.
When your heart stops pumping blood around your body, it is called cardiac arrest. This causes you to cease breathing, depriving your brain of oxygen.
Electrical impulses control the rhythm of your heart (which affects your heartbeat). An arrhythmia is a type of irregular heart rhythm that occurs when electrical impulses go wrong. If left untreated, some arrhythmias can be severe, resulting in cardiac arrest. After death, your heart’s rhythm and electrical impulses are no longer there, so no aberrant heart rhythm can be detected and the heart’s structure will appear normal. As a result, the reason of the cardiac arrest is unknown, and SADS may be suspected.
Every year, roughly 500 persons in the United Kingdom die of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.
Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, or SADS, is sometimes known as sudden adult death syndrome.
What are the causes of SADS?
When an irregular heart rhythm, known as an arrhythmia, goes unchecked, it can lead to cardiac arrest and death. An arrhythmia is a condition in which the heart beats excessively quickly, too slowly, or irregularly. It’s usually caused by a heart problem that affects the electrical system of the heart.
The heart disease that causes the arrhythmia might be inherited in some cases. If undiagnosed and untreated, inherited heart problems are frequently the cause of SADS. These are some of the conditions:
Long QT syndrome (LQTS)
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Brugada syndrome is a condition that affects people.
Because the heart seems normal after death, a disease that causes SADS is undetectable. However, due to relatively slight alterations in the heart, a few illnesses might produce SADS. Because the structural alterations are too minor to be noticed when the heart is inspected after death, SADS may still be diagnosed.
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These are some of the conditions:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
We now know that many illnesses are caused by alterations (or mutations) in one or more of our genes, thanks to study. Cascade testing, which involves genetic testing for family members, can sometimes reveal these changes. This is sometimes the only way to determine whether someone has a hereditary cardiac problem or is at risk of getting one.
What are the symptoms of SADS and how can you know if you have it?
A coroner (a person in charge of investigating deaths) will normally order a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death after an unexpected and abrupt death. A post-mortem examination is normally performed within two to three working days of the death.
A pathologist (a doctor specializing in the study of illness) will examine for disorders that could have caused the death during the post-mortem examination, such as:
If the pathologist cannot uncover an evident cause of death, they may conduct additional tests, such as examining organ tissue, testing for pharmaceuticals or substances in the corpse, and requesting an evaluation by a heart pathologist.
After that, the coroner will determine the cause of death. If the death remains unexplained after these testing, SADS is declared.
When this happens, the coroner will almost always advise that family members be examined for genetic cardiac diseases. Some people may not be ready to be tested following the death of a loved one, which is natural, but the tests are usually straightforward for the majority of people. The earlier you and your family get examined, the less likely it is that a family member will go undiagnosed with a cardiac condition.
What methods do they use to check for inherited heart conditions?
A genetic test is frequently used to detect an inherited heart problem. A basic blood test is frequently used to do a genetic test. It can also be done on a hair, skin, or body tissue sample.
Hereditary tests are able to detect genetic flaws. You could be at danger of acquiring the same genetic heart ailment as a family member if you have a flaw.
During your appointment, you may be asked about your health, family history, and any symptoms you are experiencing. It’s a good idea to provide information on any family members who have recently passed away or been diagnosed with heart or circulatory disease.
If a person has a heart problem or has died as a result of SADS, their immediate family (parents, siblings, and children) may be referred for genetic testing.
What’s the difference between sudden cardiac death and Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS)?
When the cause of death cannot be identified in a post-mortem study because the heart structure appears normal, Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) is diagnosed.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) occurs when the cause of death is discovered in a post-mortem examination due to a problem with the heart’s anatomy. After a heart attack, for example, partially or completely clogged arteries.
