title: CAUSES OF SUDDEN NATURAL DEATH: A MEDICO-LEGAL AUTOPSY STUDY OF MEDICAL CASES IN AN AFRICAN REFERRAL CENTRE.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and characterise the causes of sudden natural deaths (SNDs) that occurred in medical cases in an African referral centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University of Benin Teaching Hospital, between January 2005 and December 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Autopsy reports of 626 cases that were referred to the coroner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 626 cases of SNDswere identified representing 30.3% of all autopsies performed within the period. There were 390 (62.3%) males and 236 (37.7%) females with a M:F ratio of 1.7:1. The age range of the cases was 19-105 years with a mean age of 51 ± 17 years. The modal age group was 40-49 years which accounted for 19.8% of the cases, and most of the cases (56.8%) were seen in the 30-59 year age groups. In majority of cases (39.3%), the cause of death was related to the cardio-vascular system-principally death due to complications of hypertension which was seen in 88.2% of the cardio-vascular system diseases. Immune/infectious diseases (mainly AIDS), gastro-intestinal/hepatic lesions and respiratory diseases were seen in 15.2, 14.1 and 12.5% of cases respectively. SNDs due to malignant neoplasms were not a common finding as they occurred in 5.1% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that with the increasing, modernisation of our lifestyle and dietary habits, cardio-vascular system diseases-particularly complications of hypertension have become the leading cause of sudden natural death in our environment.
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, P.M.B 1111, Benin City, Nigeria.
authors: E E
authors: EE
authors: Ugiagbe
authors: R A
authors: RA
authors: Ugiagbe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors