Prevalence and spectrum diseases predisposing to sudden cardiac death: are they the same for both the athlete and the nonathlete?

Two women presenting aborted sudden cardiac arrest as the first event of mitral valve disease

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a relatively common valvular heart disease and is known to have a benign course. However, a certain subtype of MVP has a pathologic prognosis and can be accompanied by malignant cardiac arrhythmia causing sudden cardiac arrest, which can be characterized by bileaflet mitral valvular thickening and prolapse and frequent premature ventricular ectopic activity upon electrocardiography. Herein, we present two patients with bileaflet mitral prolapse who survived aborted sudden cardiac arrest. These cases show a precise MVP diagnosis that may prevent a devastating life event with the unique MVP subtype.

[Prevalence and spectrum of diseases that predispose to sudden cardiac death in Mexican children: a sample obtained from The Federico Gomez Children's Hospital of Mexico]

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence and spectrum of diseases that predispose to sudden cardiac death in Mexican children, and to identify the main early signs and symptoms that can enable the health personnel to suspect these diseases and to refer the patients to a tertiary hospital in a timely manner.

METHODS

Incidence, prevalence, and period prevalence, as well as early symptoms, clinical data, and follow-up were recorded on all children found with diseases that predispose to sudden cardiac death in The Children's Hospital of Mexico.

RESULTS

The study included 59 patients, with a mean age of 8 ± 5 years old, with 40 cardiomyopathies, and 19 with inherited arrhythmogenic diseases. The period prevalence was 9.5/1,000 patients/year. The most common early symptoms were dyspnoea, palpitations, and syncope. A Mendelian inheritance pattern was found in 9 cases. Three patients died of sudden cardiac death during the period of the study.

CONCLUSION

Diseases that predispose to sudden cardiac death in children are not very well known by the general medical community. Every child with dyspnoea, palpitations and/or syncope, should be referred for the intensive search of these diseases. A complete cardiological evaluation in all members of the family is indicated.