title: Sudden unexpected death from cardiac causes in Nigerians: a review of 50 autopsied cases.
abstract: Fifty cases of sudden and unexpected death from cardiac causes in individuals between the ages of 28 and 80 years are reviewed; the causes and circumstances of the deaths of these individuals are defined. 70% were males and 44% of the deaths occurred in the 41-50 years age group. Death was due to hypertensive heart disease in 82% of the cases and only 18% were previously diagnosed. Acute left ventricular failure was the commonest (68%) cause of death. Only 4% of the total died of acute myocardial infarction from coronary artery disease. The causes of sudden cardiac death in a developing country such as Nigeria, appears to be different to the pattern in Western countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morbid Anatomy and Forensic Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun State, Nigeria. enirot@ard.oauife.ed.ng
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rotimi
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ajayi
authors.forename: W O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Odesanmi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution