Time, place, event of sudden death.
Sudden death, known since antiquity, is almost always due to cardiovascular disorder, but not exclusively to coronary artery disease. It is postulated that two processes, action of pre-existing risk factors (enlarged heart, abnormal conduction, extra systoles, ischemia) and new, untoward events (acute infarction or ischemia) culminate in the catastrophic event. Sudden death is apparently most likely during waking hours; sleep is a lesser risk. Which subjects are at greatest risk and which circumstances are most dangerous remain unknown and are important topics for further investigation.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000401:mortality; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000401:mortality; D003645:Death, Sudden; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012107:Research Design; D012306:Risk; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012890:Sleep; D013398:Sudden Infant Death; D014851:Wakefulness