Monitoringclub.org – In some rare cases, sudden death onset in older persons during deep sleep. The case is called sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) also known as sudden death syndrome. What is sudden death syndrome?
Sudden death syndrome is defined as a death that occurs suddenly as a result of a heart attack, but the cause of the stop heart cannot be found.
Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around the body.
Cardiac arrest stops breathing and deprives the brain of oxygen.
Our heart rhythm (which controls your heartbeat) is controlled by electrical impulses.
Symptoms of a heart attack during sleep, such as chest pain and cold sweats are important to recognize so that you can consult a doctor immediately.
If the electrical impulses go wrong, they can cause abnormal heart rhythms, known as arrhythmias.
Some arrhythmias can lead to dangerous heart attacks, if not treated promptly.
Heart rhythms and electrical impulses are lost after death, so abnormal heart rhythms cannot be found and the structure of the heart appears normal.
That is why the cause of the heart attack cannot be found and sudden death syndrome can be diagnosed.
Sudden death syndrome diagnosis
After sudden death the authorities will usually request a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.
A post-mortem usually occurs within 2-3 working days after death.
During a post-mortem examination, a pathologist (a doctor trained in the study of disease) will look for conditions that can lead to death, such as:
If the pathologist cannot find a clear cause of death, they may perform further tests, such as:
- View organ tissue
- Doing tests for drugs or drugs in the body
- Request the assessment of a cardiac pathologist.
The coroner will then decide the cause of death.
A person is declared to have sudden death syndrome, if the death still cannot be explained after the series of examinations.
When this happens, the coroner will usually recommend that family members be tested for congenital heart conditions.
Some people may feel unprepared to be tested after the loss of a loved one which is understandable, but the test is usually simple for most people.
What are the symptoms of sudden death syndrome?
The main symptom or sign of sudden death syndrome in older persons is sudden death.
However, sudden death syndrome can cause symptoms with the following strong warnings:
- Chest pain, especially during exercise
- loss of consciousness
- Hard to breath
- Dizzy
- Heart pounding or pounding feeling
- Unexplained fainting, especially during exercise.
If you or your child experience any of these symptoms, seek medical help immediately.
Read more:
The Causes of Down’s Syndrome, 5 Risk Factors, and Prevention
