Sudden Cardiac Death not Related to Coronary Atherosclerosis

Abstract

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) accounts for approximately 300,000 cardiac events in the United States each year, representing an overall incidence of 0.1–0.2% per year. Although the vast majority of these may be attributed to coronary atherosclerosis, a wide variety of nonatherosclerotic-related cardiac diseases have been associated with SCD. This review highlights three general categories of cardiac disease not related to atherosclerosis: the cardiomyopathies, inflammatory myocardial diseases, and ion channel disorders. The important role played by genetics in some of these cardiovascular diseases is presented as well as toxic and drug-related etiologies.