This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

John R. Raymond, MD; Egerton K. van den Berg, Jr, MD; Mark J. Knapp, MD

Arch Intern Med. 1988;148(2):303-308.

Abstract
• The clinical and/or autopsy records of 83 consecutive adults presenting with nontraumatic prehospital sudden death (NPSD) in a single county were reviewed. Coronary artery disease (CAD) was the primary cause of death in individuals 36 to 45 years old. Non—CAD cardiac disease was the second most common cause of NPSD in this age group. Between the ages of 18 and 35 years, non-CAD cardiac disease was the primary cause and toxic ingestions were the second most common. Patients with rhythms other than ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia, asystole, or electromechanical dissociation on presentation to the emergency room (ER) were more likely to survive. Patients with asystole in the ER were more likely to die in the ER than were patients with other rhythms. Patients with toxic ingestions tended to have a better prognosis for successful resuscitation and for ultimate survival. Age, sex, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and time in the field were not significant prognostic variables. Patients with abdominal hemorrhage (eight of 83) as the cause of NPSD may represent a subgroup for whom a special approach is warranted. None of these patients survived. Early detection by culdocentesis or paracentesis in female patients of reproductive age and nasogastric lavage or stool occult blood testing could lead to more vigorous fluid resuscitation and early surgical intervention in abdominal hemorrhage.

(Arch Intern Med 1988;148:303-308)

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Sept 1, 1987.

Read before the 51st Annual Scientific Assembly, American College of Chest Physicians, New Orleans, Oct 29, 1985.

Reprint requests to Box 3014, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710 (Dr Raymond).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Sudden cardiac death in young people with apparently normal heart
Corrado et al.
Cardiovasc Res 2001;50:399-408.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sudden Cardiac Death With Apparently Normal Heart
Chugh et al.
Circulation 2000;102:649-654.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Survivors of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest With Apparently Normal Heart: Need for Definition and Standardized Clinical Evaluation
Circulation 1997;95:265-272.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Sudden Death from Cardiac Causes in Children and Young Adults
Liberthson
NEJM 1996;334:1039-1044.
FULL TEXT  

Prehospital Sudden Death: Need for Immediate Effective Resuscitation
MEYER et al.
Arch Intern Med 1989;149:463-463.
ABSTRACT