title: Sudden Suspected Death in Emergency Department: Autopsy Results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sudden deaths occur within 24 hours after symptoms' onset and are caused by cardiac, neurological and pulmonary diseases. Autopsy is the gold standard in determining cause of death. In this study, death's etiology was evaluated in cases applied to our department that underwent autopsy with sudden death indication.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included cases aged 18 or older with sudden, suspected, non-traumatic death applying to our department between 2008 and 2012. Patients' age, sex, death time, co-morbid diseases, initial signs, cardiac rhythm, and autopsy findings were recorded after reviewing patient charts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 46 patients. Mean age was 45.73±19.6. Of the cases, 84.78% applied to emergency with cardiopulmonary arrest. Thirty-two cases (69.6%) were male. The most frequent cause of death was cardiovascular diseases (52.2%), followed by central nervous system disorders (21.7%), intoxications (15.2%), and respiratory diseases (10.9%). The most common diseases were myocardial infarction (45.7%), subarachnoid hemorrhage (8.7%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There were three drug ingestions, three carbon monoxide intoxications, and one corrosive material ingestion among the intoxication cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sudden deaths are rarely encountered. Emergency clinicians should consider cause in differential diagnosis and provide appropriate approaches at first evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazig.
authors.forename: Mehtap
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gurger
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazig.
authors.forename: Abdurrahim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turkoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazig.
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atescelik
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazig.
authors.forename: Turgay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bork
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazig.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tokdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Service, Elazıg Training and Research Hospital, Elazig.
authors.forename: Omer Dogan
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Alatas
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Service, Elazıg Training and Research Hospital, Elazig.
authors.forename: Evren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ekingen
keywords: Autopsy; emergency service; sudden death